Glen Scotia Victoriana Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky 54,2%

The name points back to the years when Campbeltown had thirty distilleries and called itself the whisky capital of the world. The casks behind the bottle point somewhere else — towards a deep char that lays a layer of burnt wood and cocoa into the whisky.

The expert's description

Glen Scotia Victoriana is a Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in heavily charred bourbon casks and Pedro Ximénez sherry butts, bottled at cask strength 54.2%.

The batch is built from two components: ten to twelve year old whisky from 1st fill bourbon casks and sixteen to eighteen year old whisky from refill European oak. The two are brought together, given their finishing period in heavily charred casks and PX butts, and then rested for six months before bottling. There is no age statement — it would have been misleading for a whisky that deliberately marries two ages.

A heavy char is not the same as an ordinary toast. The inside of the cask is burnt until a layer of charcoal forms, and that layer works both as a filter and as a flavour source. It is why Victoriana picks up cocoa, burnt sugar and a dry smoke note that comes from no peat at all.

Tasting notes

Nose

Crème brûlée and plenty of vanilla, with cedarwood that reads more like perfume than timber. Behind it sit toasted sugar and citrus peel.

Palate

Rich and robust. Roasted sugars, dark fruits and spice, with toffee apple and caramelised sugar at the centre and ripe berries running underneath. The charred wood is clearly discernible but measured.

Finish

Long and warm. Dark fruit and spice first, then a gentle smoke from the charred oak and a dry bitterness at the close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Scotia Victoriana Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky 54.2%
Distillery: Glen Scotia
Region/Country: Campbeltown, Scotland
Type: Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 54.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon casks and refill European oak with a finishing period in heavily charred casks and Pedro Ximénez butts
Edition: Victoriana
EAN no.: 5016840192220

Flavour profile

Dark fruit · Chocolate · Spiced · Lightly smoky · Cask Strength

Did you know?

By the time Duncan MacCallum had to close Glen Scotia in 1928, the golden age of Campbeltown was long past. The town had already lost most of its distilleries, and the Victorian era that Victoriana refers to lay some fifty years behind.

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Frequently asked questions about Glen Scotia Victoriana

What does heavily charred mean?

That the inside of the cask has been burnt far harder than in an ordinary toast, so a layer of charcoal forms. The layer works as a filter that strips out harsh notes and as a flavour source that adds cocoa, burnt sugar and a dry smoke note.

Is there peat in Victoriana?

No. The smoke note comes entirely from the charred wood. It is a common mix-up, because burnt oak and peat smoke can resemble each other, but they arrive from two completely different points in the process.

Why is there no age on the bottle?

Because the whisky deliberately marries two age groups — around ten to twelve years from bourbon casks and sixteen to eighteen from European oak. An age statement would have to follow the youngest part and would give a false picture of what is in the bottle.

Should I add water at 54.2%?

Yes, give it a try. Victoriana opens up markedly with a couple of drops, and the charred wood becomes less dominant as the alcohol drops. Taste it neat first so you can feel the difference.

How does it taste compared with Double Cask?

Considerably stronger and darker. Double Cask sits at 46% and is soft and round, while Victoriana at cask strength carries more wood, more spice and a dry, almost ashy edge. See the other Scottish styles in our Scotch Whisky selection.

Why is it called Victoriana?

The name refers to the Victorian period, when Campbeltown was at its peak with around thirty distilleries. It is a nod to the golden age of the town rather than to the recipe of the whisky.

Does it pair with anything in particular?

Try it with dark chocolate of a high cocoa percentage or a strong cheese. The cocoa and burnt sugar in the whisky meet the chocolate directly, and the cask strength has enough body not to be run over.