Review #051 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 46% Comments: aged 10 years, matured in 1st fill bourbon barrels Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Pale gold color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 13/20 Surprisingly herbal, got me thinking of smoldering cooking herbs actually but I can’t quite pinpoint which ones. There’s some fruitiness also though I’m more inclined to say it reminds me of applesauce than fresh apples. Digging deeper I also get some nuttiness and notes of grain cereal. It’s smooth but all over the place. Palate: 15/40 Salt leads the way here, followed by more herbal notes. I may have just discovered the liquid equivalent to a dry rub for chicken! I get dry oak spice also but it’s truthfully very hard to sift past the salt to find a deeper profile. Finish: 31/40 Medium finish. Finally a little redemption for this poor bottle! There’s still salt but now it’s also sooty and smokey and savory. More of that oaky wood influence also which really dries it out. Some orange zest and vanilla are hiding in the background. Ending flavor hints at black pepper and is mildly bitter, as if I’d just chewed and swallowed some walnuts. With Water: A couple drops of water bring out vanilla and caramel apple notes on the nose. The palate is muted substantially (which isn’t a bad thing in my opinion) and I now taste some mild lemon zest as well. The finish is graced by some cinnamon which rounds it out and makes it a bit more complex. Total: 59/100 Final thoughts: I believe this is the first whisky I’ve scored below a 60. I’ve tried to give it time in hopes it would open up more after the neck pour but the flavor profile just doesn’t agree with my palate. Water is its best friend, and that discovery is probably the only reason I have not poured it down the drain. This is my first Glen Scotia, and I’ve often seen reviews by others describing it as having a “Campbeltown Funk” (which is a phrase I don’t like to affiliate with whisky, but I’ll set that aside) so I was disappointed not to find any of those machine, barnyard, or industrial profiles myself which I often affiliate with Springbank. This is a bottle that I immediately moved to my “kill” pile, and a single dram is okay but I don’t ever go back for a second. Price: $80 Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.