Review | Glen Scotia 12 Years Old

This 12 Years Old single malt is the flagship whisky from the Campbeltown distillery of Glen Scotia. The new release is fully matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, it has been created to showcase the distillery’s signature style and maritime influence. It has been packaged with blue and white labelling and gift box, taking inspiration from the distillery’s blue dunnage warehouse door and white exterior wall.

Glen Scotia was founded in 1832 by the Galbraith and Stewart families. It is one of only three distilleries remaining in Campbeltown – the others are Glengyle and Springbank. However, others have been given planning permission in the town and surrounding area. The distillery was originally known simply as Scotia, only becoming Glen Scotia in 1939.

Campbeltown was formerly a powerhouse of the Scotch whisky industry, particularly in late Victorian times. Then over 30 distilleries operated in the town, but it was to fall on hard times with most closing. Glen Scotia is currently owned by The Loch Lomond Distillery Co. It is relatively small and very traditional with an annual production capacity of 800,000 litres.

The Glen Scotia 12 Years Old is a bold new classic that will become the heart of our core range, representing our signature style and offering whisky lovers a true taste of Campbeltown. It is bursting with tropical fruit flavours that are perfectly balanced with our maritime influence.
Campbeltown is the smallest whisky-producing region, where our small team use uniquely small stills to craft our whiskies with big Campbeltown flavours that have made big waves across the world.

Iain McAlister | Master Distiller and Distillery Manager, Glen Scotia

The Glen Scotia 12 Years Old is bottled at 46% ABV, natural in colour and non-chill filtered. It is available now exclusively from glenscotia.com and The Whisky Shop. A bottle should cost £45. This bottling will the new single malt join the distillery’s existing age-stated range of 10-, 15-, 18- and 25-Years-Old aged expressions.

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Our Tasting Notes

The colour is bright gold and the nose is full of vanilla fudge, white chocolate and hazelnut praline. There is also an underlying green herbal aroma that adds a lovely bitterness. Then comes ripe apricot, dried pineapple and dried banana. Further nutty characteristics are followed by freshly made vanilla custard and hints of dried green apple and cinnamon.

On the palate this whisky is soft, creamy and fruity but with a late spicy kick. Background notes of earthy baking spice and gentle, ashy smoke underpin everything. The fruit is there again – think of green apple and plenty of tropical fruit. There is caramelised pineapple, ripe peach and apricot, papaya and dried banana again.

There are also plenty of fresh vanilla pod and vanilla patisserie custard mixed with crumbly buttery fudge and plenty of spice. Notes of cinnamon bark, powdered ginger and a hint of chilli give a warming depth. There is further late sweetness in the form of bubblegum-like confected notes, spun sugar and white chocolate. A pinch of white peppery heat accentuates everything.

The finish is of decent length and packed with bittersweet walnut and sweet oaky spice. The vanilla creaminess and fruity elements slowly fade, and this reveals the baking spices and drying but gentle ashy background smoke. A hint of dried orange zest and dried cherry round things off.

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What’s The Verdict?

This new Glen Scotia is a really good example of a pure bourbon cask matured Scotch whisky. This, married with the added depth and complexity of Glen Scotia’s signature fruitiness and elegant Campbeltown smoke, makes the whisky feel older than it is. There are some older bourbon cask characteristics, such as those honeyed and tropical fruits, plus plenty of classic elements including vanilla and fudge. A great whisky with a great balance. An instant new classic in the Campbeltown single malt category.