Campbeltown Malts Festival with Glen Scotia
Glen Scotia will forever be the middle child in the Campbeltown family, won’t it? I mean, there is always the big brother in the spotlight (Springbank) and the youngest family member Glengyle is also gaining popularity. Who knows what will happen if new distilleries indeed open their doors and fire up the stills. It has been a little quiet though around Dal Riata, to name one. Witchburn seems to be very close to completion. We will keep an eye out on where it all goes. In the meantime, Glen Scotia has built up a strong following of fans. I don’t know if I should count myself as one of them, and in comparison with Springbank this distillery has the short end of the stick. And still, maybe because they never attempt to be a copy of Springbank, they earn their own spot in the sunlight. Glen Scotia is undeniably Glen Scotia, with a quirkiness in their malts more comparable to Ben Nevis than to Springbank. We love us a good glass of bourbon matured Glen Scotia, like the 12 year old that came out last year. Today, we taste the festival release of Glen Scotia, as it is festival week in Campbeltown, and we also throw in a weird variant.
Glen Scotia 7 years old, Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026, bottled at 53,9 % abv
First things first: This will probably be a dividing choice by Glen Scotia. A young expression with a finish on a Ruby Port cask. If the colour is any indication, the cask indeed rubbed off!
Upon Sipping: Classic meaty smell from the glass, very dominant. Dark berries and breaded notes. Youthful indeed. Some nail polish remover. The arrival on the tongue is very sweet and juicy, here is where the young Glen Scotia does a lot of heavy lifting. When you swallow, the port hits the spot, but it works quite well. Nice, bitter and chocolate flavours, but well inside the margins. This is far from over the top port drenched, and I appreciate that. Water releases a good dose of wood smoke, but the fruity elements also linger nicely. On the tongue, this Glen Scotia for the Malts Festival 2026 has gained some sugary notes. The finish remains pleasantly bitter, with a fruit infusion of strawberries and even some whipped cream Wimbledon should buy a few cases of this expression.
Word to the Wise: I was sceptical before I poured the sample in my glass, but there is nothing wrong with this Glen Scotia, that handles the finish extremely well. Recommended!
Score: 85 points.
VAME Malts 2016, “Sticky Dicky”, bottled at 57,1 % abv by VAME Malts
First things first: Distilled on 17 March 2016 and bottled as a blended malt on 14 April 2025. This whisky matured in a Sauternes cask and is said to contain both Glen Scotia and Springbank.
Upon Sipping: No idea about the backgrounds of this, but it sounds like fun! Ooh, sticking the nose in the glass is a bit overwhelming, where it feels like the Sauternes seems to lift up the typical Campbeltown characteristics like limestone and coastal salinity. A bag of sweets, diesel fumes, wet pebbles, there is a delightful mix here. The cask makes it quite a ride. Then a sip. Now I feel the Sauternes is outstaying its welcome, making for an acidic experience mingled with a flowery, almost lavender soapy experience. Let’s add some water. The nose does not really change all that much, except for perhaps a smoky vibe coming through. The fruit seems to be confident and comfortable. A new sip reveals the weirdest contradiction, that of sweetened meat. A hint of copper coins too. Yeah, I guess we wandered deep into Alice’s rabbit hole here. It is strange and entertaining.
Word to the Wise: Lovely weirdness. We are decidedly drinking a Campbeltown malt here, but there are some elements you need to enjoy, otherwise it might put you off. Like the influence of the Sauternes cask, which at the same time is binding the whole together, and dividing it. So strange…
Score: 84 points.