Today strange Glen Scotia


February 3, 2023

Little Duos, today strange Glen Scotia

Because it's not always all about Springbank.

Glen Scotia 10 yo 'Unpeated' (40%, OB, +/-2022)

Was Gen Scotia ever associated with peat? I mean, Ardbeg Unpeated or Laphroaig Unpeated would make sense, but Glen Scotia Unpeated? Why not Glenkinchie Unpeated, by that notion? Colour: gold. Nose: some charcoal, some charred oak, green tea, spicy cake, Läckerli, caraway… This one's met with some active oak it seems, I'm finding this spiciness a little 'too much' I'm afraid. Mouth: feels spiced-up, really, and not very pleasant. A curious herbal mix (carrot, chervil, parsley, turnip). Finish: medium, all on spicy oak. Comments: very bizarre. Many new Loch Lomond/Glen Scotia expressions are really exquisite, but I find this one difficulty oaky. Wood technology gone a little too far, perhaps; the low strength doesn't really help either.
SGP:441 - 70 points.

Glen Scotia 17 yo 2000/2018 (56.4%, Cadenhead's Warehouse Tasting)

So Springbank doing Glen Scotia. Got to love Springbank, they're like Ardbeg, both seem to be working for mankind as their cheapest expressions, the tenners, are currently and by far their best. Colour: gold. Nose: loads of cappuccino, toffee, butterscotch and struck matches, plus some gas and truffles. With water (careful, it may go off): burnt caramel, burnt toasts, Maggi, fumes, toffee. Mouth (neat): whacky. Massive grapefruits and coffee for starters (strange combination), then gouda and ginger, speculoos and turmeric, cracked pepper, quinine. How bizarre indeed. With water: no comprendo quite. Artichoke? Eggplant? Some Campbeltownian moussaka? Surely some chicory and coffee essence, or simply some roasted chicory juice concentrate. Finish: long, on maraschino and gunpowder. Bitter almonds, salted liquorice and Nescafé in the aftertaste. Comments: what-was-that? We'll do another, cleaner Glen Scotia session soon…
SGP:582 - 72 points.

Check the index of all Glen Scotia we've tasted so far