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30th November 2022 |
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Glen Scotia
whisky Christmas gift ideas - reviews of
the Glen Scotia Double Cask, 15 Year Old
and the outstanding Glen Scotia
Victoriana a juicy, complex Campbeltown
whisky.
A puppy is not for Christmas but
Single Malt Whisky is, and there is
nothing more Christmassy than a sherry
influenced dram over the Christmas
holidays and with that in mind here is a
trio of single malts, all with varying
degrees of sherry influence, from Glen
Scotia distillery located in
Campbeltown, Scotland's smallest whisky
producing region and once the Victorian
Whisky Capital of the World.
Glen Scotia Double Cask is the
distillery's entry level dram and a
great introduction to the Glen Scotia
whisky range, it has been matured in
first fill American bourbon barrels
before being finished for 12 months in
Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, a rich and
spicy dram, as well as distinctly
Campbeltown notes.
The Glen Scotia 15 Year Old is an
unpeated whisky, matured in a
combination of first fill American
bourbon and re-fill American Oak casks
then a very short finish in Oloroso
casks,
a rich and smooth single malt scotch
whisky which boasts hints of vanilla oak
and spicy fruits.
Last but by no means least is something
rather special, the Glen Scotia
Victoriana, said to be a modern
interpretation of a classic Victorian
style Campbeltown Malt Whisky. It makes
a superb introduction to the classic
Glen Scotia style that will surprise and
delight whisky explorers and
connoisseurs alike. Matured in a
combination of first and second fill
American bourbon barrels and finished in
a combination of Pedro Ximénez and
heavily charred oak casks before being
bottled as cask strength, naturally
coloured and non chill-filtered.
You can read my thoughts on the Glen
Scotia trio below, all three of the
whiskies are available in a 3 X 5cl gift
box , RRP £23, which is fantastic as a
gift if you want to check the
whiskies out for yourself before you buy
the full size bottles.
You will find all three whiskies
including the gift set as well as the
rest of the Glen Scotia whisky range
available from specialist online whisky
shops such
as
The Whisky Exchange,
The Whisky Shop,
Hard To Find Whisky
and
Master of
Malt
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Glen Scotia Double Cask Review
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Bottled at 46% ABV
 William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose:
An enticing gentle fruity mix in the
form of dark cherry. orange, apple and
peach this is balanced with some lovely
toffee and vanilla sweetness.
Taste:
Sherried fruit with a bit of a youthful
(in a good way) spicy vanilla toffee
edge leads - raisins and sultanas,
orange, a light sugared vanilla
sweetness peaks through from behind the
lovely fruit, the slightest wee touch of
aniseed hides in the background, nutmeg
and then the late appearance of a touch
of cinnamon and dry ginger and a light
dusting of pepper.
Finish: A longish finish,
the fruit bows out early to leave the sweet toffee and
the lovely lingering, mildly
drying, oak spice to have the last word.
Comment:
Deliciously rich with a wee touch of a
youthful vibrancy. The 46% bottling
strength certainly boosts this young
drams flavour pleasure. Overall it is a
lovely well balanced young sherry and
bourbon oak dram and will be a welcome
pour over the Christmas season or these
cold dark nights.
SMW Score
85/100
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Glen Scotia 15 Year Old Review
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Bottled at 46% ABV
 William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose:
Gentle vanilla and butterscotch, a
little slightly candied orange citrus,
apricot and ginger, equally gentle oak
spice.
Taste:
Apricot and ginger piggyback in on the
sugars with a delicious oak spice,
vanilla and milk chocolate edge, closely
followed by more fruit orange citrus and
sultana, a second wave of gentle oak
spice this one is a little more peppery
Finish:
Long, the fruits peak in a little more
sherried form before quickly giving way
to the ginger, chocolate and slightly
drying sugared oak spice and lingering
pepper.
Comment:
This has had a very short finish in
Oloroso casks but those casks have
imparted their touch of sherry influence
in that short time and combined with the
ginger, chocolate and oak spices they
have made for a outstanding dram. This
will certainly add some Christmas cheer
during the holiday season.
SMW Score
90/100
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Glen Scotia Victoriana Review
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Bottled at 54.2% ABV
 William
Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose:
Barley sugar with a nutty edge, a very
distant whiff of smoke, some very gentle
distant apple, pear and orange.
Taste:
A barley sugar candy sweetness, a
delicious blend of candied pear and
orange followed by a little creamy
vanilla and some distant Scottish butter
tablet, a good dusting of pepper and
some lovely mature oak.
Finish:
Burnt sugars with wee sherried edge
cling to the mouth for an age, before
leaving the slightly drying oak and
spices to have the final word.
Comment:
Deliciously juicy dram, it is easy to
forget this is cask strength it is so
smooth, the sherry notes which hitch a
ride on the sugars and oak from start to
finish make this an absolutely delicious
dram. If you are looking for a special
dram as a gift to pour at Christmas or
indeed anytime, this is outstanding, a
juicy, complex Campbeltown whisky.
SMW Score
93/100
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Where To Buy Whisky Online
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specialist Whisky shops who delivers to
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