Scapa Glansa

Scotland, September 2017. Tasting at the distillery. Nose: Light smoke, fruity and floral. An elusive earthy aroma like blue cheese, oak, caramel, vanilla, and a maritime presence. The dry glass smells smoky and medicinal. Palate: Smoke blankets the delivery. Development reveals coffee, dark fruit, and sweet spices. The texture is good. Finish: Medium. Ashy smoke, spicy and dry with mild fruit notes. When we sampled this at the distillery, we found it very agreeable. We tasted it immediately after Scapa Skirin, and it obviously shared the same malt profile but with a light layer of peat smoke. The peat smoke seemed a bit unusual, though. Not bad, just unusual, and it wasn't quite the same as the smoke from peated grain. I liked it enough to seek out a bottle upon our return to Australia, but unfortunately, it was terrible and nothing like the distillery tasting. I can only assume it was a flawed bottle (perhaps a loose cork) since it had almost no nose or palate – it resembled a whisky diluted with neutral spirit. I'm basing the score here on the distillery tasting. "Good": 83/100 (3 stars)

There are currently only two distilleries on the island of Orkney in northern Scotland. One is Highland Park, known for its Viking heritage, and the other is Pernod Ricard's Scapa, a very mellow whisky. This is the review for one of their two main offerings, Glansa. The other is Skiren, which I've reviewed previously, along with the now-discontinued 16-year-old. Bottled at 40% ABV, Glansa is the lightly peated version of Scapa. On the nose: subtle peat, heather, toffee, almonds, and butterscotch. On the palate: orange and chocolate. Dulce de leche. Vanilla. And a sweet called melcocha, a hard vanilla and dulce de leche flavored taffy in an unbreakable stick that can break your teeth. Aftertaste includes clove, very light peat, some saltiness, and perhaps a faint sweet hint from the palate. A short finish. Overall, this is a pleasant whisky. Good value for the price. A score of 82 out of 100 is appropriate.

Nose: Fruity notes of peach, apricot, and pineapple. Lightly floral with wisps and hints of wood smoke. Palate: Tropical fruit, vanilla, salted caramel, and light citrus. A subtle peated smokiness is present throughout without being overpowering. Finish: A long finish. The finish is noticeably more citrus/sour than the palate. Smoky, peaty, and peppery notes emerge before transitioning to a citrus and spicy (black pepper, chili, and ginger) aftertaste. This is a fruity and lightly smoky dram. The flavors aren't fully integrated across the different stages, offering a distinct experience from the palate to the finish and aftertaste. It's easy to drink, with a creamy mouthfeel on the palate that shifts to a sour and spicy finish. Generally acceptable.

Scapa continues to impress me. I had been eager to try this one for some time, and it was worth purchasing a bottle during my annual whisky Advent calendar order. It's peated, but not in the traditional way – it undergoes finishing in casks that previously held heavily peated whisky. The nose is full and fruity, with abundant orchard and stone fruits, complemented by vanilla, a hint of smoke, and a trace of sea air. The palate begins with bright, fresh fruitiness and vanilla cream, followed by smoke that gradually appears like fog over the water. It's very well-balanced, and the Scapa fruit-vanilla-sea spray profile harmonizes nicely with the light peat.

As a big admirer of Scapa Skiren for its gentle, balanced character, I decided to sample their peated offering, the Glansa. Once again, Scapa delivers subtlety and balance. It features a pleasing blend of sweetness and smoke (and I'm someone who dislikes the intense smoke of Laphroaig; this might be too mild for peat enthusiasts). I find it comparable to the excellent equilibrium of Kilkerran 12, though the Glansa lacks the same depth of flavor – Kilkerran offers more complexity. However, the Scapa Glansa is an outstanding lightly peated spirit for those seeking a whisky that hovers between sweet and smoky.

I can see why some people find this bottle unusual or unimpressive. It has peat, but it's mild. It was aged in oak but isn't as sweet as one might anticipate. It's only 40% ABV but doesn't taste diluted. In summary, I found it surprisingly intricate and engaging. Notes of honey, heather, light smoke, and oak.