Scapa 21 yo 2024

 

 

 

52,9°

Distillery : Scapa - Islands 

American Oak Ex-Bourbon Barrels

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

In line with this new regular range launched in 2024, the distillery is releasing this 21 year old, with the same maturation as the 10 year old and the 16 year old, and this time in cask strength. The odd thing is, however, that the liquid is coloured. Why colour a whisky of such an honourable age, sold at such a price? It scares off connoisseurs, even if it doesn't actually change the taste. I don't quite understand the strategy here. It's not entirely a part of the Core Range, it's just a limited edition, with a new Batch every year it seems. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Brioche, braised almonds, the nose is perfectly balanced and very airy, supple and ample iodine, with a very discreet pinch of salt, vanilla bean, liquorice stick, dried exotic fruit, but also honeyed cereals. Hints of citrus and hazelnut. On the palate, it's creamy, flavoured with noble wood, vanilla pastry cream, walnut honey, maple syrup, notes of red berries and forest berries, well-tamed spices. Long finish, calissons d'Aix, orangettes coated in milk chocolate, chicory, herbal touches. Dried apricots.

 

In Short, 

It's very good, more velvety, with roasted almonds and walnuts, perhaps a bit of cinnamon. It's very well done, very subtle, almost bewitching, but this time the price is really exaggerated. You can find much better for the same price, and without colourings. I don't know if I can recommend buying it.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Camp Saint Helene - Call for Me

Scapa 16 yo 2024

 

 

 

48°

Distillery : Scapa - Islands

American Oak Ex-Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2024

Unchillfiltered

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The Scapa 16 Year Old was first launched in 2008, reduced to 40° and chill filtered, but it quickly became sought after as it was the last representative of the distillery's Core Range, the only way to get a Single Malt from them. It then became legendary because production ceased in 2016, and the only Single Malts to leave the distillery were of poor quality. So it was a veritable resurrection when this 16-year-old was re-produced, eight years later, this time non-chill-filtered and with a more than solid alcohol content.    

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very airy, with crystalline iodine, bubbles of icing sugar, candied lemon zest, vaporous vanilla and whisked eggs. Sea breeze, fresh sea spray, a pinch of salt, clementine quertier, pineapple pulp, dried mango. Slightly smoky wood, tinder. On the palate, applesauce, crumble, again some exotic fruit, and also a maritime, even mineral freshness. It's a little creamy, with mashed bananas. Long finish, Belle Hélène pear, custard, mint leaf, sea foam, waves, quartz beads, slate.

 

In Short, 

It's the same ageing as the 10 year old, the same profile, but it goes further, it's more subtle, fruitier, a little less costal, the flavours are deeper, and here I really felt the exotic fruits. It's a great success, but this time the price is a bit high, and I think it should be reserved for absolute fans.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Lila Forde - Vessel

Scapa 10 yo 2024

 

 

 

48°

Distillery : Scapa - Orkney 

American Oak Ex-Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched on 2024

Unchillfiltered

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the kind of news that can only delight any self-respecting whisky lover. At the end of last year, the Scapa distillery, which had been releasing only bottom-of-the-range Single Malts with no age since a while ago, launched a new range, aged, with a solid alcohol content and not chill-filtered. What is this miracle? Which executive at Pernod Ricard has been struck by a sudden illumination? In any case, just one word: thank you! Scapa was undoubtedly the distillery with the greatest untapped potential in Scotland, although there is competition in this field. So here we have the youngest of the range, aged in Bourbon casks, nothing superfluous, and it's perfect.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's very coastal and iodised, sea spray, waves, kelp, but also very sweet, icing sugar, vanilla, salted butter caramel, baked apples, a few mineral notes, limestone, quartz, an airy, ethereal freshness, whisked eggs, candied banana. It's delicate on the palate, still very marine and mineral, but with beeswax and white plum. Rosewater, Turkish delight, then discreet spices. The finish is long, just powerful enough, pastry cream, dried exotic fruits, pineapple, papaya, white chocolate.

 

In Short, 

I liked the fine balance between the powerful costal character and the delicate sweetness. The casks have a nice influence, without devouring the distillate. It has to be said that Scapa is once again one of the distilleries that count. If they could also sell a few casks to independent bottlers, that would be really wonderful. In any case, for this one, the price is in line with the current market, a little high, but still acceptable, and I strongly recommend buying it.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Sona Jobarteh - Kambengwo

Scapa The Orcadian Skiren Batch SK09

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Scapa - Islands 

1st Fill American Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2017

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

We'll never know what happened to the Scapa distillery. Owned by Pernod Ricard, it used to sell a highly acclaimed 16-year-old, but in 2015 the range was completely overhauled. The barley fermentation time was drastically reduced, production was increased, and they discontinued the 16-year-old in favour of two NAS, Skiren and Glansa. Here we have Skiren's 9th Batch, aged in first-fill Bourbon barrels, reduced to 40° and certainly chill-filtered with colouring.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Gravel and bitumen. It's quite greasy, chalky. Wind-beaten rock overlooking an austere beach. Fine sea salt. Green apple, not very ripe. Fresh iodine. Old plum. Smooth, fruity, a little pear juice dripping off. Oily on the palate, lemon peel, a few spices. Watery. Slatey. Mineral salts. Parmesan. Quite long and solid finish, but not entirely pleasant, the sea salt returning, foam, seaweed, with a hint of vanilla, seltzer, a vegetal touch, slight bitterness. Asparagus. The feeling of licking a pebble.

On Short, 

I have to say that it's not very successful. The nose and palate lack character, and the finish is flawed. That said, it's almost not too bad. You can feel the potential, but it's unbalanced, a little too rough at times. It feels like it's been rushed through. A big waste in my opinion, because this distillery has a personality, that's for sure. But it is very poorly exploited. What's more, the bottle is expensive, fortunately I got it with a discount. Today, I'm not even sure I'd accept it if someone offered it to me. 

Score : 81

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Everything But The Girl - Before Today