Glen Scotia Campbeltown Harbour

Rubber, orange peel and little vanilla on the nose. Peel of pineapple, sea salt, black pepper and little wood resin on the palate. Taste a little bit sharp. Long smoked wooden aftertaste with hint of chilli paper.

Nose: Bright cereal, green apple, white grape juice, honeydew melon, a little citrus and a briny maritime character. After the first sip you notice smoky notes that were previously hiding. Water broadens and unites the nose very pleasantly but the cereal and maritime aromas dominate. Over time, vanilla is noticed. There is an elusive facet to the nose that is very familiar but I can’t quite place it. Palate: Slightly grippy, maritime arrival with green fruit and lemon peel but followed very quickly by a breath of peat smoke. This enlarges in the development as savory/sweet malty flavours come forward. Dark ale, pumpernickel, oatmeal and a little bit of liquorice. The texture is good but it is improved by a dash of water, which adds depth. This does, however, also highlight the brine. Finish: Medium. Mainly salty cereal-malt flavours with a little smoky barley sugar. The palate has a briny presence right from the arrival. On the first sip it seems to border on astringency, but subsequent tastes identify this firmness of palate as salt. Immediately after adding water the arrival is softened but peppery spice then develops in the later palate and this highlights the saltiness even more. Personally I preferred this one neat, as dilution can make it seem bitter and sour. However, that said, over time you become accustomed to it and sweetness comes through. When the bottle was first opened I was not that impressed but over time I’ve come to like this whisky. It’s not an easy-sipping crowd pleaser and may be a little too maritime for some palates, but it has a fresh, youthful verve and there is something about it that is vaguely reminiscent of Old Pulteney 12 year old from about a decade ago (but not the current expressions). I was initially going to rate this at 81 but after trying it several times I’m increasing the rating to 83. I found it on special and I think I’ll go back for a couple more bottles. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

I find Glen Scotia super interesting, actually i have a great impression of almost everything that is produced in Campbeltown. Having said that, this might be the cheapest in their core range, going for 30 pounds in a scottish supermarket where i bought it. Can it pass the test? Lets see... Bottled at 40%abv. Golden color. On the nose, it starts with Honey, and slight saltiness. Yellow apples and Red fruits. A scond sip gave me cherry syrup. A little dim, not bad. On the palate it follows the nose, in a better, more complex way. Honey, dry apricots, vanilla. Peaches and Salty, very salty. Very honeyed as well. Aftertaste continues the rythm. Salty, Honey, Pepper and maritime overall. More sips revealed salted caramel. In conclusion, i believe this passes the test for a maritime and sweet malt that goes for a cheap price. I believe you can get a cheap Talisker for something near that price and Talisker will always defeat this whisky; but this is not a bad offering. The aroma could be a little better. My score for it is 79 over 100. Not bad though.