Glen Scotia 10 Year Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Finish (2021 Campbeltown Malt Festival)

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Glen Scotia Whisky Tasting, May 27, 2021. Hosted by GSC, with Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, as guest speaker). Smell: Fudge, caramel, red fruit/berries, floral, candied sweets. Taste: Waxy. Very sweet! Citrus/orange zest, summer fruit/berries/strawberries, dark chocolate, orange sherbet. Spices (black pepper/ginger/chili peppers). Hints of salinity. Aftertaste: Oily/waxy, long finish. Toasted oak, spicy, and a bit drying. A souring note on the aftertaste. Unpeated Distilled 2009-2011 Matured in 1st fill bourbon casks Vatted and finished for 5 months in 1st fill Médoc Bordeaux casks This is a sherbet-like, red-fruity dram. There’s a lot of spice that provides lovely layers. It’s quite an 'in your face' dram. Nice! Came tied for third place out of the six drams, with 17% (4 votes) of the final vote for favorite of the night. 88% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.

Similar to all releases from this distillery, it presents a remarkable nose – featuring earth, buttercream, blackcurrant, strawberry, white pepper, and brine. A sweet honey and orange peel arrival, followed by a long finish that is spicy and dry. This spirit is a delight; an opportunity to experience this distillery's unpeated expression. The intricate depth I appreciate from this distillery remains – a testament to the quality of their distillate. Even without peat, this is a wonderfully vibrant and potent malt – entirely due to the traditional production methods this premier distillery steadfastly adheres to.

First pour. Nose: Very fruity, but not excessively sweet, with notes of raspberries, oranges, blackberries, alongside malt and vanilla. This aroma is excellent. Palate: Substantial, decadent, coating, medium-sweet, with abundant red fruit, malt, vanilla, baking spices, sea salt, caramel, and a hot, peppery sensation, plus a touch of citrus. Finish: A long, spicy finish featuring red fruits, caramel, and malt characteristics. Certainly can sense the alcohol content. The palate was improved with a small amount of water, but it diminished the aroma. An absolutely wonderful spirit.

The wine influence here leans towards dry, subtle raspberry flavors—like sucking on a red Bassetts Wine Gum—rather than anything excessively fruity or sweet. It forms a backdrop to a spice that slowly builds to a peppery crescendo. The long aftertaste brings dry cranberry juice and raspberry tea. A nicely balanced bottling.

Smell: baking spice, orchard fruits, floral, briny, vanilla Taste: fruity (cherry), coating the mouth, later becoming spicy and sweet Aftertaste: sweet, honey, sticky, long, a bit dry, cinnamon

Funky, sweet, salty, rich, juicy, and oily - a delightful Glen Scotia. It embodies everything you'd anticipate from a Campbeltown malt.