Glen Scotia Campbeltown Harbour

This whisky from Campbeltown's Glen Scotia distillery, a nod to their maritime spirits, was generously shared. It's lightly peated and aged solely in first-fill bourbon casks. Nose: A strong toffee aroma appears immediately, followed by cereal and white fruits. The light and fresh scent transitions to a gentle peat and subtle brininess with a hint of perfume. It's a light, refreshing, and delicate opening. Palate: The texture is quite dry and grainy. Initially, it seems a bit 'cluttered' but offers much to discover. Notes of grainy seeds, dry grass/hay fire, vanilla, and salty fudge are present. The smoke is intriguing, with a briny maritime essence and summery perfume. The texture feels somewhat young and 'unrefined,' but deeper notes emerge over time, hinting at stout and aniseed/rosemary. It's quite interesting. Finish: Medium-long. Features dry, grassy smoke, ashiness, and savory caramel notes reminiscent of flapjacks. With a few drops of water added to the 40% ABV spirit, as suggested by some reviews, a saltier minerality surfaces, like licking a beach pebble. However, the resulting harsher character is not to my liking. Overall, there's much to appreciate, but it's not easily accessible. I find the spirit cluttered rather than complex, and somewhat unbalanced. Some gentle sweetness would have been welcome to counter the drying saltiness, and perhaps more pronounced herbal notes. I'd be interested in trying a larger bottle to explore its depth further.

Nose: Bright cereal, green apple, white grape juice, honeydew melon, a little citrus, and a briny maritime character. After the first sip, smoky notes that were previously hidden become noticeable. Water enhances and integrates the nose pleasantly, but the cereal and maritime aromas dominate. Over time, vanilla emerges. There's an elusive facet to the nose that feels very familiar but I can't quite identify it. Palate: A slightly grippy, maritime arrival with green fruit and lemon peel, quickly followed by a breath of peat smoke. This intensifies during development as savory/sweet malty flavors emerge. Notes of dark ale, pumpernickel, oatmeal, and a hint of licorice are present. The texture is good but is improved by a dash of water, which adds depth. However, this also accentuates the brine. Finish: Medium, featuring mainly salty cereal-malt flavors with a little smoky barley sugar. The palate has a briny presence from the very beginning. On the first sip, it seems to verge on astringency, but subsequent tastes reveal this palate firmness as salt. Immediately after adding water, the arrival softens, but peppery spice then develops in the later palate, further highlighting the saltiness. Personally, I preferred it neat, as dilution could make it taste bitter and sour. However, with time, one adjusts, and sweetness becomes apparent. When the bottle was first opened, I wasn't particularly impressed, but over time, I've grown to appreciate this whisky. It's not an easy-drinking crowd-pleaser and might be a bit too maritime for some palates, but it possesses a fresh, youthful energy, and something about it is vaguely reminiscent of Old Pulteney 12 Year Old from about a decade ago (though not the current versions). I was initially going to rate this at 81 but after trying it several times, I'm increasing the rating to 83. I found it on sale and I think I'll buy a couple more bottles. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)

I find Glen Scotia quite intriguing; in fact, I'm impressed with nearly everything they produce from Campbeltown. That said, this might be the most affordable in their standard lineup, costing around 30 pounds at a Scottish supermarket where I made the purchase. Does it measure up? Let's find out... Bottled at 40% ABV. Golden in color. On the nose, it begins with honey and a slight saltiness. Notes of yellow apples and red fruits appear. A second taste revealed cherry syrup. It's a bit muted, but not unpleasant. On the palate, it mirrors the nose but in a more enhanced and complex manner. Honey, dried apricots, vanilla, peaches, and a very pronounced saltiness. It's also quite honeyed. The aftertaste maintains this profile. Salty, honeyed, peppery, and overall maritime. Further sips brought out salted caramel. In summary, I believe this meets the criteria for a maritime and sweet malt at an affordable price. You could likely find a similarly priced Talisker, which would consistently outperform this whisky; however, this is not a bad offering. The aroma could be a bit more vibrant. My score is 79 out of 100. Still, not bad.

Nose 20, Palate 19, Finish 20, Balance 20 This whisky displays a bright amber color. For the first 3-4 days of tasting, the aroma is rich: moderate peat, old railroad tie, vanilla pudding, baker's scents, and yellow plums. Later, custard cream notes joined these. The taste is soft and tentative, slightly watery, with dried apricots and a lingering warm aftertaste featuring cinnamon and similar spices. A well-balanced drink.

November 2019. Clear medium gold. Served in a medium-small tulip glass. Aromas of oatmeal, cereal, sweet spice, Milo beverage, sweet maltose, brine, and buckwheat soba noodles. Medium-full body with flavors of sweet malt beverage, farmyard, oatmeal, multigrain bread, and gentle sweet smoke on the palate. Good balance with a medium-long finish. A delightful sea spray and gentle smoke dram.

A pleasant surprise for my first Campbeltown whisky. The initial taste is very briny and maritime, followed by a rich, fruity apple note, and a finish with subtle campfire smoke. A very good whisky for 34€!