Glen Scotia 10 Years Old (46%, OB, 2012)

• Glen Scotia Distillery
• Loch Lomond Group
• 46% ABV
• £34.33
• Score: 80/100

What they say:

Bourbon Cask matured, non-chill filtered.

Tasting Notes:

Colour:

Light camomile tea

Body:

light fresh and full of vitality

Nose:

It opens slowly with aromas of sweet cereals, honeysuckle, green apple, vanilla wafer and sweet malt

Palate:

Initial waves of lemon, pear and kiwi fruit followed by a nutty honey. The oils retained from not chill filtering coat the with the oak’s vanilla sweetness. Remarkably easy on the palate for a 46% strength whisky

Finish:

Light, gentle and smooth with faint hints of butter, almond and hazelnut. The perfect aperitif.

What I say:

With an imminent trip to Campbeltown and with the discontinuation of this entire range which was only released late in 2012 I figured I needed to get to know Glen Scotia better, so here goes a Scotia Verticale

Colour:

Light straw gold (5/20), slow medium/large droplet tears with medium trails

Nose:

Floral and smoky initially? fresh grass and dried hay, I get the honeysuckle from the notes but thought this was more chamomile on the nose, cereal barley flour; fine-milled, fruity apple, pear, a little sweet honey and plenty of vanilla cream

Taste:

Fruity, lemon and lime citrus, apple, pear, kiwi, melon, sweet syrup and honey combo, ‘cornflake’ cereal, a little malt, vanilla custard, almond, macadamia and hazelnut

Finish:

Short, lemon, cream, buttery and nutty, salted peanut/briny

Overall:

Gentle and light and a little fruity, nothing spectacular – interesting nutty and slightly salty notes in here I’d like to see develop as we move on up the age-statements.