Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2019 16 Years Old 2003

This official Glen Scotia, a 16 year old, from 2003, at 51.3%, 9500 bottles in all. Glen Scotia is a Campbeltown single malt from a town once called the whisky capital of the world. The Glen was added to the Scotia name around 1930, the distillery dating to 1832.

It was made on Crosshill Loch water in the heart of Campbeltown, building a maritime character of sea salt and oil. Maturation came in a Rum cask, layered over the briny Glen Scotia make. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (citrus and apple) and a briny, salted depth. The oily, coastal spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and brine to the fore. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the briny Campbeltown spirit. A long ferment gives a fruity make that ages with a coastal, oily grace. Its long ferment, averaging well over a hundred hours, builds a fruity, coastal character.

At 51.3%, undiluted, it is deep and briny. Baked apple, brine and a creamy oil, with a soft brown sugar and a tropical fruit from the cask. Beneath it run citrus, salt and a soft oil. Citrus, salt and a soft oak see out the finish. This is Glen Scotia's coastal, briny Campbeltown style.