No sherry. Not a single sherry cask in twenty-five years. That is an unusual call for a whisky of this age, where most distilleries reach for oloroso to add depth — here the bourbon wood has been left to work the whole way, and the whisky only woken at the end.
The expert's description
Glen Scotia 25 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in refill bourbon casks with a twelve-month finishing period in 1st fill bourbon casks, bottled at 48.8%.
For most of its life the whisky sits in used bourbon casks, where the wood gives slowly and lets the distillery character lead. In the final year it moves into 1st fill casks, which add fresh vanilla and lift to a whisky that would otherwise have turned very dry. It is a move that demands good timing — too little and nothing happens, too much and the twenty-five years get covered over.
Twenty-five years is where Glen Scotia starts to resemble something other than itself. The maritime character is still present, but it has become brine and an ashy smoke note rather than fresh sea air. This is the oldest permanent bottling in the distillery range.
Tasting notes
Nose
Lemon and ginger first, then pine resin and a trace of sea salt. After a couple of minutes it develops towards banoffee pie and maple syrup, with leather and cocoa underneath.
Palate
Luscious and smooth. Big orchard fruit notes, honey and malt, with a discreet spice and a hint of ashy smoke. The 48.8% gives weight without making it hard.
Finish
Long and drying. A wisp of smoke, brine and peppery oak that lingers well after the fruit has gone.
Specifications
Name: Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48.8%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 48.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill bourbon casks with twelve months in 1st fill bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5016840161226
Flavour profile
Maritime · Fruity · Lightly peated · Dry · Honeyed
Investment potential
Medium. Twenty-five year old Campbeltown whisky exists in very small numbers, because the region has only three working distilleries and stocks from the 1990s were thin. The bottling is also the oldest permanent release in the distillery range, which makes it a natural reference point for collectors of the region.
Did you know?
Loch Lomond Group bought Glen Scotia in 2014 and has invested heavily in the site since — greater production, new warehouses and a visitor centre. It is the first time in more than a century that the distillery has had an owner able to build rather than merely survive.
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