Glen Toon 2012 Whisky Sponge Special Edition for the Campbeltown Malts Festival 11 yo

 

 

 

53°

Distillery : Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks  

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

I don't know how many Special Editions of Whisky Sponge there are. Its founder, Angus McRaild, promised to stop the series at 100 bottlings, but he's cheating a bit with all these Special Editions. So much the better, because they are generally very good. Here we have a Glen Toon, an affectionate expression generally given to Glen Scotia, specially prepared for the 2024 Campbeltown Malts Festival. Only 225 bottles are produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, coppery, woody notes, with some fruit and pastry cream. Dates, red plums, ripe apricots, hints of vanilla, fried bacon. Wax and melted butter, citrus. Toasted hazelnuts, along with a few cereals. On the palate, the fruit becomes more intense, mirabelle plums, reines-claudes, white grapes. A bit of honey to bind it all together, wood resin, not much spice, but it comes through in the finish, with a lovely explosiveness, groundnuts, cashew, peanut butter. Lastly, a very slight saltiness at the very end.

 

In Short, 

Really interesting and original, but not really representative of the distillery. That's what makes this bottling unique, but you shouldn't look for the typical Glen Scotia character in it. As is often the case with this bottler, it's a little too expensive to dare buy, but it's remarkable at the very least.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Conception - Feather Moves

Campbeltown 2016 Hidden Spirits Classic Version 8 yo

 

 

 

48°

Distilleries : Glen Scotia, Springbank - Campbeltown 

Refill Bourbon Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Almost Unpeated 

 

 

 

The Classic Version range offers some interesting daily drams from Hidden Spirits, an independent Italian bottler established in 2013. These are original and reduced bottlings, so easier to drink. Here we have a Blended Malt from Campbeltown, Andrea Ferrari himself told me it was 90% Glen Scotia and 10% Springbank. This mix has grown for 8 years in the same Refill Bourbon Cask, to finally give us this little thing. Unfortunately, we don't know how many bottles were made. A previous edition of the same Blend was released in 2022, with some success.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very successful nose, very Campbeltown, costal with honey and brioche, coarse sea salt, iodised freshness, vanilla fragrances, a zest of lemon, some exotic fruit, sea spray, seafood, seaweed, a light layer of limestone and genoise. Icing sugar, meringue. On the palate, it's a little light but pleasant, with lemonade, citrus fruit, orange blossom, hints of papaya, kumquat, salted butter caramel and well-integrated spices. Very long finish, quite powerful given the alcohol content, shortbread biscuits, pinch of aniseed, floral notes, peanuts, cashew nuts, sultanas.

 

In Short, 

Incredible quality for a Blended Malt, great character despite the reduction, I'm really surprised by the high standard of this bottling. It's typically Campbeltown, with a real personality and beautiful fruity nuances. It's sometimes overpriced, but if you look hard enough, you'll find some very interesting special offers. Anyone who loves the profile should get one.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Throwing Muses - Pearl

Campbeltown Blended Malt 2017 Watt Whisky Our 100th Cask 7 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Glen Scotia, Springbank - Campbeltown

Bourbon Barrel 

Independent Bottling 

By Campbeltown Whisky Company Ltd. 

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt 

Bottled in 2024 

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

The Campbeltown Whisky Company has only been around since 2020, and I confess I'd never heard of them, but they've produced several dozen bottlings. This is their 4th whisky from Campbeltown, and each time it's a Blended Malt. And this one is a Glen Scotia teaspooned with 28-year-old Springbank. Just 20cl of this exquisite liqueur has been slipped into a 172-litre Glen Scotia cask. And all with a simple ageing process. 246 bottles were produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very soft and mellow on the nose, with a lovely iodine freshness. Beach sand, warm brioches, light minerality, white chocolate, Guérande salt. Candied bananas, apple fritters, vanilla ice cream. Ocean air, sea breeze, and a pinch of icing sugar. On the palate, olive oil, liquid honey, salt crystals, white grapes, mirabelle plums, fresh oysters. Melted butter. Black pepper and cloves, a very slight touch of woody bitterness. Long finish, initially ample, then powerful, soft caramel, sea spray, salty foam, crushed peanuts, cashew nuts. Almonds, cola nuts, another touch of bitterness.

 

In Short, 

I thought it was excellent, much better than I expected. The costal character is intense, with a very light peat that is perfectly measured. Is it possible that 20cl of Springbank can be felt in 172 litres of Glen Scotia? It sounds crazy, but I would like to say yes. In any case, it would explain the astonishing quality of this little 7-year-old cask. What's more, the price is very reasonable, but unfortunately it seems that this little gem is only available in the UK.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Olivia Rosebery - Spirit is Calling

Glen Scotia 11 yo Campbeltown Malts Festival 2023

 

 

 

54,7°

Distillery : Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

1st Fill American Bourbon Casks and White Port Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated from 10 to 15 ppm

On the occasion of the 2023 edition of the Campbeltown Malts Festival, the distillery offers this limited edition of 24,000 copies, a lightly peated Whisky, having aged 10 years in American Bourbon barrels, then a one-year finish in White Port casks .

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful smoothness at the start, red but light fruits, damson and lychee, red and white currants. Pomegranate seeds. Then it becomes woody, with black berries and damp bark, undergrowth, but also marine touches, iodine, limestone and foam. On the palate, it's sweet, prune, apricot, oranges, and I also recognize the distillery markers, both mineral and marine, cola and caramel, beautiful spices, intense without being too strong, cardamom and nutmeg, light pepper. Fairly long and ample finish, charcoal, a hint of liquorice, syrupy, almost vinous, a grain of blackcurrant. Clove.

 

In Short, 

The finish brings a beautiful fruitiness, but I also found all the markers of the distillery, which gives a beautiful bottling, pleasant to drink. The price is a little high but still o.k., given the current market. A purchase is possible for lovers of this distillery.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Zero 7 - Destiny

SMWS 2012 93.181 A Burning Galleon of Tropical Fruit 9 yo

 

 

 

61,9°

Distillery : Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Independent Bottling 

By The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Although launched in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a trading company founded by Pip Hills, did not make a bottling of Glen Scotia until 1991. But after that they caught up well, since they are currently around the 201st. That's an average of 9 bottlings a year, not bad guys. This one is the 181st, and nothing particularly original, 9 years old, aged in a first fill Bourbon cask. 219 bottles were filled.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Mineral and woody. The Bourbon leaves its mark, vanilla and honey. It's floral and herbaceous, zucchini flower, primrose. White plum, mirabelle. Banana Frecinette. Then it becomes more ethereal. With a few drops of water, the lemon comes out. Finally, I smell cereals, hay and young beam. Very citrusy on the palate, on grapefruit, lychee, kumquat, the spices are powerful, cumin, chilli. Green olives. The finish is long and explosive, cola, tall grass, wood leaves. Hazelnut, dry earth.

 

In Short, 

A very good whisky, very friendly and pleasant. It has character, but it is not at all aggressive, it is easily drunk on the contrary. There aren't so many exotic fruits, it's more on honey and vanilla. When it came out, the price was really interesting (knowing that you have to contribute as a member to buy it), but on the secondary market it is obviously more expensive.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Antytila - Bakhmut Fortress

Glen Scotia 15 yo Classic Campbeltown Malt

 

 

 

46° 

Distillery : Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

1st Fill Bourbon, Refill American Oak Casks and Oloroso Sherry Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2015

Unchillfiltered

Peated around 23,5 ppm

 

 

 

Launched in 2015, this expression quickly became the spearhead and emblem of the distillery. Aged in an assortment of Bourbon and American oak casks, it follows a reportedly very short Sherry cask finish. According to Forbes, the peat level is 23.5 ppm, but there are conflicting sources, and anyway, it becomes light after 15 years of maturation. There is no cold filtration, however the use of dyes is confirmed.

Let's Taste It : 

Very woody nose, with a hint of ginger and blood orange peel. Baked apples, a drizzle of vanilla, iodine which gives a nice breadth, and again this warm and sparkling touch that I had noticed with the 10 year old, this time more pronounced. Gingerbread, fudge, marzipan, dry land and evergreen forest. The palate is robust, on varnished cherry, oak, with dried fruits, nuts, apricots, grapes, and some exotic but discreet fruits, papaya, guava, dragon fruit. Spices under control, paprika, nutmeg, white pepper. Long finish, wood splinters, intense charcoal, cola, tea notes. Hazelnut.

In Short, 

It deserves its reputation, it is very successful. There is character, originality, complexity. It's very well done. At the time of writing these lines the price is still O.K. I therefore recommend a purchase, knowing that the Springbank 10 year is still above. On the other hand, I believe that it's slightly better than the Kilkerran 12 year old. 

Score : 86

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Waterboys - Savage Earth Heart

Glen Scotia 10 yo Classic Campbeltown Malt

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Glen Scotia - Campbeltown

1st Fill Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2021

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

In 2021 this new edition of the unpeated 10-year-old from Glen Scotia hits the market. It is different from the previous one which was launched in 2012, nicknamed Legend of the Scotia, because it is only 40° as the old bottling proudly sported 46°. Dyes have been added in it and I'm not sure if it's chill filtered or not..It's not a bad way to get to know this distillery, a decent low end, but apparently it didn't convince. You can't find it on the distillery's official website anymore, which would mean that it is discontinued, only 18 months after its launch.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A definitely cereal profile, but fresh, ripe cereals, not the half-mouldy hay in the barn like at Springbank, but grains bursting with sunshine and the morning breeze. A lovely fullness of iodine, combining with all the ingredients of Bourbon, creamy vanilla, lemon pulp, nuts and dry earth, young wood and a few mirabelle plums. On the palate, it's admittedly light, but still pleasant, with the same ingredients, white fruits and soft minerality, earth and wheat grains. The spices are discreet, it's almost sparkling. The finish is quite long, successful, discreet and nuanced, with a pinch of charcoal and green tea.

 

In Short, 

Even if it's true that this expression has been sidelined, it's still a shame, because I think it's a success. Obviously, 40° isn't enough, it should have been at least 43 or more, but if the price is in proportion with the lightness of the product, that's fine. Unfortunately, I found it far too expensive.

Score : 84

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Pond - Eye Pattern Blindness