I participated in a Glen Scotia / Loch Lomond Twitter tasting last night. We went through some of the core range expressions and the grand finale was this brand-new Glen Scotia 25 Year Old.
It is drawn from specially selected ex-bourbon casks and married for 12 months in first-fill bourbon barrels before bottling.
The distillery went through rough times in recent decades and it was mothballed between 1994 and 1999. I reckoned the 25 Year Old would not be a constant expression for years to come, but the distillery confirmed they have enough stocks to make this an ongoing expression.
Glen Scotia 25 yo (48,8%, OB 2017)
Glen Scotia 25 yo (48,8%, OB 2017)Nose: quite a complex nose, which starts nicely on a coastal breeze, leathery notes and hints of earthy oak. Subtle vanilla, as well as some bright fruity notes (gooseberries). Crushed pepper corns, a little straw. Hints of sunflower oil. Quite a clean, sophisticated nose.
Mouth: oily, with some fruity sweetness (lime, red apple, zesty orange) and vanilla syrup but also delicate hints of chalk and antiseptics. The coastal side remains strong, as well as the earthy side.
Finish: long, balancing between sweet vanilla, ginger and mentholated oak.
This Glen Scotia 25 Years is a gentle, rich and pleasantly un-modern malt. Quite a premium price setting, but worth checking out nonetheless. Around € 320.
Score: 89/100