Glen Scotia Double Cask (46%, OB, 2016)

• Category: Campbeltown single malt scocth whisky
• Origin: Glen Scotia Distillery
• Bottling: Loch Lomond Group
• ABV: 46%
• Cost: £36.64

What they say:

GLEN SCOTIA
DOUBLE CASK

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Our Double Cask is matured in our finest oak barrels then finished in a combination of first fill bourbon barrels followed by time in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks to produce this outstanding malt whisky that provides the perfect balance of rich spicy fruits, overlaid with the characteristic sea spray and vanilla oak finish for which the house of Glen Scotia is famous.

NOSE

Amber. Very sweet. Initially it is all creme caramel, caramelised fruit sugars, wood sugar, toffee and fudge before some apple and peach come through. In time a charred note of bourbon with a pleasing dusty dryness. Has some power.

PALATE

Sweet start and quite fat and though the alcohol gives a little tongue-tingling buzz the result is a good mid-palate weight. The dry distillery character is there still, but there is now depth to counter. Water slightly dismantles the different elements, but adds some dried mint.

FINISH

Deep and dark.

What I say:

Sampled during our visit to Campbeltown and after our tour of the Glen Scotia Distillery. The double cask represents the base of their new core range, finished in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks. Sampled again during the recent #TheDramTeam launch event/twitter tasting.

Nose:

Apple pie, cinnamon, nutmeg, leather, hazelnut, dried fruits; raisin, fig, vanilla custard

Taste:

Winey, dried fruits; raisin, fig, damsons, fudge, caramel, toffee, woody oak, slightly herbal and oily

Finish:

Medium-short, tannic and spicy, Oloroso sherry and vanilla

Overall:

Very pleasant and enjoyable, this is quite a strong bodied whisky with a little oiliness similar to other Campbeltown malts. A definite improvement over Glen Scotia’s output under previous owners.

Score: 85/100

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