Glen Scotia 2008 Ruby Port Finish (2018 Campbeltown Malts Festival)

I was excited to acquire this bottle, the Glen Scotia 2018 Ruby Port. It's a 9-year-old, peated whisky finished for 5-6 months in Ruby Port casks, released for the Campbeltown Malt Festival. Bottled at 57.8% ABV, it cost only $55, leading me to hope it would be an overlooked gem without being too expensive. It has a copper and amber gold appearance, leaving thick legs and large droplets on the glass after swirling. The initial aroma had a subtle, pleasant smoke, but it was quite subdued upon pouring. Harsh oak and the high alcohol content dominated until I added water. The palate was a bit too hot and dry, though it had some nice smokiness and port sweetness. The mouthfeel was good, albeit slightly dry. The finish was medium to long, also hot and dry, with the heat obscuring any sweetness. I realized I needed to add water to fairly assess it and allow it to mellow. Water brought out vanilla and sweet grape notes on the nose and finish. It didn't significantly alter the palate but made the overall experience more complex. It smoothed out the finish considerably, though the youthful spirit is still evident, preventing much mellowing. Overall, it's a solid dram and a good deal at $55. I will explore more Glen Scotia offerings. Rated 3.75 stars. Cheers.

Sometimes you just crave something smoky, sooty, and rugged. Something that enhances the outdoor elements on these cold northeastern nights when the temperature is below 20 degrees. And thanks to a pour generously shared by a friend, this beauty perfectly suits the mood. Personally, I think Campbeltown is the new Islay. Between brands like Springbank, Kilkerran, and Glen Scotia, they are producing some amazing spirits at reasonable prices (unlike Ardbeg, where I feel I need to sell a lung for their special releases). I'm enjoying the aroma on this... dirty, sooty smoke. But with a hint of sweetness from the port pipes. And the taste... you first get a touch of sweetness, then a flood of smoke and earth. I find the heat in the finish a bit excessive; I can still feel the burn after a few seconds, but a splash of water can easily temper it. A great pour at a reasonable price... you can't ask for more. Thanks, friend!

It's challenging when you're comparing against the quality of drinks from the previous two nights, such as Red Spot, Knob Creek SC, and Ardbeg Galileo, which were all very well-integrated and balanced. This one is less so. The Knob Creek, at around 63.5% ABV, had amazing integration of alcohol and flavor. This drink has weaker flavors, and the alcohol is overpowering; adding water dilutes the flavor even more than the alcohol. It's still a nice enough flavorful drink, but I'd give it a maximum of 3.5. Thanks to a friend!

This pour from an online drammers club is excellent, though slightly less impressive than the 2020 14 Year Tawny Port Finish. The nose offers vanilla, grass, raspberries, salted caramel, white chocolate, lavender, orange, milk chocolate, strawberries, blackberries, citrus, walnuts, and blondies. The palate features cherries, smoke, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, oranges, almonds, tar, iodine, and salted caramel. The finish includes orange, dark chocolate, smoke, cherry, apricot, dried fruit, vanilla, caramel, and cashews.

faint smoke, sweetness from the ruby port finish

Less smoky than anticipated, but still a pleasant drink.