Glen Scotia Double Cask Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

If you are only going to taste one Campbeltown whisky to understand what the region is about, this is it. Bourbon casks for the base, Pedro Ximénez for the sweetness, and underneath it all the salt of a town that sits with the sea on three sides.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia Double Cask is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon casks with a finishing period in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, bottled at 46%.

The name comes from the two cask types. The bourbon casks lay vanilla and bright fruit into the spirit, and the PX casks add the dark, syrupy sweetness that Pedro Ximénez sherry is known for. The order means the sweetness comes last and settles as a layer over the salt rather than soaking through it. There is no age statement, which gives the blender freedom to build the batch by taste rather than by year.

Thomas Rydberg of Whisky & Rom Magasinet awarded the bottling 90 points. That is a high score for a whisky with no age statement, and it says something about the Glen Scotia spirit having enough body to manage without many years of cask time behind it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Baked fruit and vanilla, with spiced wood behind. The PX sherry gives a dark sweetness that sits clearly over the salty base note.

Palate

Round and soft. Caramel, dried fruit and a touch of spice, with the oily texture that marks the house. The salt only comes forward on the second sip.

Finish

Pleasant and lasting. The sherry sweetness holds on while a maritime, lightly dry note takes over at the end.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia Double Cask Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon casks with a finishing period in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks
Edition: Double Cask
EAN no.: 5016840151210

Flavour profile

Sherried · Soft · Fruity · Spiced · Maritime

Did you know?

Glen Scotia still ferments in nine stainless steel washbacks. That is a small number for a distillery today, and the short, controlled fermentation times are part of what gives the whisky its firm, malty character rather than a fruity, floral profile.

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Frequently asked questions about Glen Scotia Double Cask

What does Double Cask mean?

That the whisky has sat in two different cask types. Here 1st fill bourbon casks first and then Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The name says nothing about age but about how the flavour is built.

What kind of sherry is Pedro Ximénez?

A very sweet sherry made from sun-dried grapes, giving notes of raisin, fig and dark syrup. PX casks are among the sweetest you can use for whisky, and they leave a marked imprint even over a short period.

Why is there no age statement?

Because the batch is put together by taste rather than by a fixed number of years. The blender can use both younger and older casks as long as the result hits the intended profile. It is common for a distillery entry-level release.

Is it a good place to start with Campbeltown whisky?

Yes. It is softer than the younger and more powerful bottlings from the region, the sherry makes it approachable, and the salt is still there to show what Campbeltown is after. See the other Scottish regions in our Scotch Whisky selection.

Is it peated?

Only very lightly, if at all. The Glen Scotia standard range is largely unpeated, and what you might read as smoke is the maritime, mineral note in the spirit.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat or with a single ice cube. At 46% it takes a little chill without closing up, and for many it is exactly the kind of whisky you pour without making an occasion of it.

Can it be used in cocktails?

Yes, it works in a Rob Roy or a whisky highball, where the PX sweetness gives body. If you want the maritime character clearly forward it is best neat, though — in a drink a good deal of the salt disappears.