
October 29, 2026

WF's Little Duos,
today Scapa (again)

The other day, we tasted two Scapas that went down rather well. And since you don’t change a winning team, let’s try another two…

Scapa 16 yo (48%, OB, American oak, +/-2026)

We liked this very much when it first came out, as we did the 21. Let’s try a more recent version… Colour: deep gold. Nose: honey cake, camomile tea, pears poached in Sauternes, mirabelle liqueur, apricot liqueur… In short, positively sinful, although it could do with a little more of that lively coastal, maritime side. Mouth: quince jelly and mirabelle tart all the way, drizzled with a little gingered honey. It then becomes more citrusy, chiefly on pomelo. Finish: fairly long, with even more citrus, especially pink grapefruit now. Pink peppercorns sign things off. Comments: extremely well put together, and probably quite a crowd-pleaser. Our neighbours will love it, I’m sure.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Scapa 2000/2026 (57.8%, Gordon & MacPhail, Distillery Labels, refill sherry hogshead, cask #1101, 231 bottles)

We mustn’t forget just how instrumental G&M have been in putting certain distilleries on the map, Scapa being a case in point. I’m sure they’ll reverse their decision to stop filling new casks and bottling independently, they’re far too important. It would be like Jimmy Page giving up the guitar, or Monet giving up painting. Impossible. Colour: full gold. Nose: roasted pistachios, peanut butter, roasted chestnuts, chicory, latte and pear liqueur. At this point, you find yourself thinking that Scapa really is the least coastal of all the coastal distilleries. With water: little basaltic touches, small berries (whitebeam, holly), green tea… Mouth (neat): indeed, it’s saltier now, more peppery too, certainly more vigorous. Lovely little tart apples. With water: everything falls into place, the shellfish arrive (about time too!) along with a slight hay-like note. Finish: long, with touches of menthol. Comments: in truth, it falters slightly towards the end, like a Rolex that’s lost its timing, but it remains a splendid Scapa.
SGP:551 - 87 points.

Oh, go on then, a bonus…

Scapa 1965/1988 (46%, Moon, ‘The Sea’, Hogshead, cask #2879, 240 bottles)

We weren’t entirely won over when we reviewed this legendary baby back in 2008 (WF 85), but here’s another bottle and another opportunity. Besides, only fools never change their minds, do they? Colour: gold. Nose: that combination of mango, banana, seawater and almond milk so typical of old bottles, to which you might add a few drops of tinned pineapple juice. It’s lovely, although hardly intergalactic. To tell you the truth, the current 16-year-old rather tramples all over it. Mouth: much the same feeling. Of course it’s very good, but there’s also a little too much bitterness and some green pepper that may no longer have much business being here at this stage. Finish: it turns cardboardy, with some rather unidentifiable herbal teas. As so often, though, the citrus fruits come to the rescue right at the end. Comments: perhaps we shouldn’t have tried it again. Certainly not the greatest Moon of all time, but it’s still very good indeed.
SGP:451 - 83 points.

Check the index of all Scapa we've tasted

WF's Little Duos, today Scapa (again)

WF's Little Duos,
today Scapa (again)