Glen Scotia 8 Year (2013), SMWS 93.193 "Salty waterslide"
Whisky: Glen Scotia 8 Year (2013), SMWS 93.193 "Salty waterslide"
Country/Region: Scotland/Campbeltown
ABV: 60%
Cask: First Fill Bourbon Barrel
Age: 8 Years (Distilled 1 October. 2013)
Nose: Maritime, fruity, cola, cream, vanilla, ginger, artificial fruity candies, hints of plastic and leather, cotton candy.
Palate: Medium-bodied, youthful and spirited, peppery, fruity candies, orange cream, hints of pine resin.
Finish: Medium to long with dried plums, orange cream candies, and a kiss of herbal spice.
Score: 5-6 (76)
Mental Image: Halloween with the Selkies
Narrative & Notes: Maritime and fruity the aroma carried me to ice cold colas by the sea, or perhaps a root beer float as sarsaparilla, vanilla, ginger, and a bit of cream arrived. Fruitier with time, though in an artificial sense, with skittles and starbursts melted in the car with a hint of plastic— hopefully not candies melted on a passenger seat! Cotton candy and a bit of shoe polish lingered further in with a touch more sweet brine. Medium-bodied, the whisky was youthful and spirited with a peppery tingle on the tongue. The flavor profile ranged between different fruity candies with White rabbit, orange cream, licorice, cotton candy, and green apple. Hints of pine resin and citrus occasionally lent the impression of floor cleaning agents, but sweeter candy notes and spirited pepper always swung back. The finish was medium to long with dried plums, orange cream candies, and a kiss of herbal spice.
The whisky was youthful and spirited with bright, clear flavors and a health dose of pepper. This was the kind of dram you hit first in an evening to wake up the palate— probably adding a healthy dose of water to cool the humors and bring out a bigger dose of fruits. This was about par for the course with these young unpeated Glen Scotia. I find they need more time in the cask to really develop the sort of depth and roundness of flavors that I find interesting— though the peated stuff hits just fine at this age.
Overall, an hors d’oeuvre or pupu whisky— something to get you started.
