Glen Scotia 2008 Ruby Port Finish (2018 Campbeltown Malts Festival)

Online drammers club pour. Great stuff but a smidge below the 2020 14 Year Tawny Port Finish. Nose: Vanilla, Grass, Raspberries, Salted Caramel, White Chocolate, Lavender, Orange, Milk Chocolate, Strawberries, Blackberries, Citrus, Walnuts, Blondies Palate: Cherries, Smoke, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Oranges, Almonds, Tar, Iodine, Salted Caramel Finish: Orange, Dark Chocolate, Smoke, Cherry, Apricot, Dried Fruit, Vanilla, Caramel, Cashews

Well it's hard when you come up against the calibre of drams which preceded over the last two nights. Red Spot, Knob Creek SC and Ardbeg Galileo. All were very well integrated, finely balanced drams. This not so much. Now the Knob Creek was 63.5% or something and amazing integration of alcohol and flavour. This much weaker on the flavour and the alcohol just overpowers it, with water watering down the flavour more than the abv. It's still a nice enough flavorsome drop but 3.5 is high as it goes for me. Thanks @LeeEvolved!

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for something smoky, sooty, and rugged. Something that complements the elements outside during this cold northeastern nights where the temperature is below 20. And thanks to a pour graciously sent by @LeeEvolved, this beauty perfectly fits the mood. Personally, I believe Cambeltown is the new Islay. Between the likes of Springbank, Kilkerran and Glen Scotia, they’re producing some amazing things there at reasonable prices ( unlike Ardbeg, where I feel as if I need to sell a lung for their special releases). I’m loving the nose on this...dirty sooty smoky. But with a touch of sweetness from the port pipes. And the taste...you first get a tinge of sweet then a monsoon of smoke and earth. I think the finishing heat is a bit much, I can still feel the burn after a few seconds, but it’s nothing that a splash of water can’t calm. Great pour at a reasonable price...can’t ask for more. Thanks Lee!

Not as smokey as expected — but still a nice dram.

This was an exciting bottle I added to a recent online order: Glen Scotia 2018 Ruby Port. It’s a 9 year old, peated whisky that was finished for 5-6 months in Ruby Port casks and bottled for the Campbeltown Malt Festival. It’s also cask strength at 57.8% and only cost me $55. I had high hopes it would be a sleeper hit, while not breaking the bank. It’s copper and amber gold in the taster and makes some fat legs and large droplets around the glass after you spin it. The nose has a subtle, nice smoke initially, but was really closed off upon pouring it. Harsh oak and heat from the ABV dominated it until after I added some water. The palate was slightly too hot and dry, but had some decent smokiness and port sweetness. It had a good mouthfeel, although it was a tad dry. The finish was medium to long and also hot and dry. No real sweetness to be had as it was blocked out by the heat. So, I knew I had to add water if I wanted to give this one a fair shake and to get it to relax. Water brought out vanilla and sweet grapes on the nose and finish. It didn’t change the palate very much but it did make the overall feel a bit more complex. It made the finish a lot smoother, but you can still tell the youthful spirit is keeping this one from mellowing out much at all. Overall, it’s still a solid dram and a reasonable deal at $55. I’m going to look into some more Glen Scotia for sure. 3.75 stars. Cheers.