By David Levine
Rating: A-
(Credit: Glen Scotia)
I had an outline when I started this Glen Scotia review, I really did. Fruity, wonderful flavor that’s greater than the sum of its parts, the mildest of Campbeltown funk while still alerting you to where it came from.
Then, every god damn review I read mentioned at least one or more of these points. Well, at least I’m in good company aside from the parmigiano rinds note…pretty sure I’m alone on that one. Maybe that’s how Campbeltown funk presents for me, who knows.
There is something about a sweet-and-salty mix I can’t walk away from, though. Whether it’s the sprinkle of flake salt on a chocolate chip cookie or the salt you don’t quite taste that brightens up flavors in a pie or cake, add salt to my dessert and I’m a happy man. The fresh and stewed fruit is bolstered by the sea spray, making me go back for one sip after another.
Lemon is the other flavor I wanted to make note of. In some of my favorite younger/newer distilleries and distillates now on the market, such as Nc’nean, Ardnamurchan, Dalmunach, and Torabhaig, I nearly always get some measure of lemon, ostensibly from the malt. It’s become a hallmark of this new wave for my palate, something I’ve come to both expect and enjoy. Which makes its presence in a long-fermented, 15-year-old (at least) product so exciting and welcome.
Overall this is a delicious pour and earns an A-. The complexity is remarkable for what is essentially a core range permashelf bottle, and its availability sets it apart from most of its C-town brethren.
The Scotch
46% ABV
Eye: Hazy gold. Medium sloughing rims, slow medium legs and small drops.
Nose: Beeswax and light honey. Sugar and salt, like walking into a confectionary shop on a boardwalk. A sprinkle of salt on a honeyed dessert. No proof or oak. The slightest Campbletown funk shows as…um…parmigiano cheese rinds?
Palate: Tart lemon custard sprayed with sea salt. Beautifully vibrant lemon off the malt, remarkably fresh having spent 15 years in a cask. Hints of raspberries and peanut shells. Peat and smoke emerge late, just barely sneaking into the palate. Mouthfeel is deceptively medium-heavy, astringent for a second, creamy apple, stewing applesauce, light prickle on the front third of my tongue.
Finish: Fruity and bright, the sea salt falling back to allow the freshness to shine. Mild astringency remains on a medium-length finish, turns creamier just like the palate did.
Overall: I really enjoyed this pour – I imagine an apple orchard by the sea, lots of spray in the air, a caramel cauldron nearby to dip. Not heavy on the oak, just enough to give body and mouthwatering dryness. It’s not a simple drinker and it makes you explore and experience each sip. A great introduction to Glen Scotia for anyone who hasn’t tried it, and a solid pour for any shelf.
The Price
At $109.99 MSRP (but found easily as low as around $75) it falls firmly below the arbitrary-yet-fair $10/year line by which many of us judge Scotch whisky prices, making it an instant pickup for me anytime I’m running low.
