Glen Scotia 21 Years Old (46%)

An official release of Glen Scotia, a 21 year old, at 46%. Glen Scotia, founded in 1832, is one of the three surviving Campbeltown distilleries. Its water is drawn from Crosshill Loch above the town.

The spirit was drawn off the stills after a long ferment for a fruity, briny spirit, building a maritime character of sea salt and oil. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the oily spirit. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the citrus turning to a salted toffee over the oily body. The slow distillation and shell and tube condensers give the oily Glen Scotia body. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the briny Campbeltown spirit. The Glen was added to the Scotia name around 1930, the distillery dating to 1832. It is one of only three working distilleries left in Campbeltown, with Springbank and Glengyle. The oily, coastal spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and brine to the fore.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow. Sea salt, citrus and a salted toffee, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked apple and a sea salt lift it. It finishes long, briny and oily. This is a Campbeltown single malt of real character.