Glen Scotia 18 year old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%

The bulk of the years in American oak, then a spell in oloroso at the end. The order matters here — had the sherry been there from the start it would have eaten the salty Campbeltown edge. Instead it sits as a layer on top.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia 18 Year Old is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak with a finishing period in oloroso casks, bottled at 46%.

The whisky spends most of its eighteen years in American oak casks, where the maritime character of the spirit is given room to settle. Only then is it moved into oloroso casks, and the short finish is enough to lay walnut and dried fruit in without covering the salt and minerality. The result is clearly sherried without being a sherry bomb.

Eighteen years is where Glen Scotia begins to show its other side. The younger bottlings from the distillery are taut and direct, while the older ones unfold and turn rounder. It is still Campbeltown — there is still sea air in the glass — but the frame around it has softened.

Tasting notes

Nose

Walnut and honey first, then digestive biscuits and toffee. There is an aromatic spice note behind it, and after a couple of minutes the sea air emerges beneath the sweetness.

Palate

Deep and broad. Candied orange, honey, nuts and raisins, with a spiced structure holding it all together. The maritime minerality sits under the sherry rather than alongside it.

Finish

Long and aromatic. Dried fruit and walnut first, then a dry, lightly salted close with spice.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia 18 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak with a finishing period in oloroso casks
EAN no.: 5016840181200

Flavour profile

Sherried · Nutty · Spiced · Maritime · Honeyed

Did you know?

Glen Scotia's pot stills have onion-shaped bodies and unusually short necks. The shape carries more of the heavy vapours across into the spirit, and that is a large part of why the whisky from this house is oily rather than light and floral.

See our full range of Glen Scotia

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently asked questions about Glen Scotia 18 Year Old

Is it worth the money?

Judge it on the cask work and on how few Campbeltown whiskies exist in that age bracket. You get eighteen years in American oak with a finishing period in oloroso from one of only three distilleries in the region. That combination of age, region and cask build is hard to find elsewhere.

Why does the sherry cask only come at the end?

Because the order decides who is in charge. Had the whisky sat in oloroso the whole way, the sherry would have dominated and hidden the salty, oily character that is the whole point of Campbeltown. With a short finish the sherry becomes a layer on top rather than a foundation.

How does it differ from Glen Scotia 15 Year Old?

The 15 year old sits entirely in American oak and is drier and more directly maritime. The 18 year old brings the sherry in, which gives nuts, dried fruit and a rounder body. The sea air is there in both, but it takes up most room in the younger one.

Is it peated?

Only very lightly. Glen Scotia distils peated spirit for a few weeks a year, and the standard range is largely unpeated. There may be a faint smoke note in the finish, but this is not a peated whisky. See the other Scottish styles in our Scotch Whisky selection.

Should I add water?

Try it neat first. At 46% it carries well as it is, and water can wash the sherry notes out quickly. If you want to experiment, take one drop at a time and stop when the nuts step forward most clearly.

Does it work with food?

It performs well after a meal alongside nuts, dark chocolate or a mature hard cheese. The walnut and dried fruit in the whisky meet the saltiness of the cheese, and the maritime undertone holds up against the fat.

What makes Campbeltown whisky different from Speyside at the same age?

The salt and the oil. An eighteen year old Speyside is typically softer and more fruit-sweet the whole way, while Campbeltown keeps a mineral tautness even after a long time in wood. It is a whisky with an edge rather than a polish.