Glen Scotia 19 Years Old 1992 The MacPhail’s (G&M)

This Glen Scotia was bottled by the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, a 19 year old, distilled in 1992, bottled at 43%. Glen Scotia is a maritime Campbeltown malt, one of the last three of a town that once held thirty. Its long ferment, averaging well over a hundred hours, builds a fruity, coastal character.

Distilled slowly in a single pair of stills for an oily, coastal make, building a maritime character of sea salt and oil. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the salt and oil. At oxidative maturity vanillin and lactones are fully expressed, the salty, oily malt deepening. The cool, salt laden Campbeltown air gives a slow, coastal maturation in the warehouses. Maturation in the Campbeltown warehouses, by the sea, lends a coastal edge. Its water is drawn from Crosshill Loch above the town. The Glen was added to the Scotia name around 1930, the distillery dating to 1832.

Bottled at 43%, it is rounded. Sea salt, citrus and a salted toffee, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Citrus, brine and a salted toffee fill the middle. The finish runs long, oily and coastal. This is Glen Scotia, a survivor of the old whisky capital.