🥃 Whisky Agents

Quite unusual such a strongly peated Glen Scotia

Smells of slurry, but the peat and port combine really well with a good mouthfeel, love taste and lovely finish - could happily sup this with a straw. Well worth buying, let alone simply trying a snifter.

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2026/07/26/campbeltown-malts-fest-2026-glen-scotia-cadenheads-warehouse/ N: Confidently peated, bready [Panko breadcrumbs], a pinch of salt… essence of peated barley with a softer wood [previous contents] approach. T: Reminiscent of TWE’s recent single cask bottling [WLP] if less uncious and far reaching. I can’t quite put my finger on the specifics – that’s outside dramming for you – but note positive elemental attributes over what seems like a decent age. That it’s just a 7yo is a surprise. F: Being a ‘larger’ dram than I’d first given it credit, conversely, it doesn’t hold around too long though a greasy mouthfeel helps with the contrails. It concludes, plain & simple, on peat, peated barley – heart-of-the-kiln stuff – with zero cask intrusion; quite the phenomenon in these times and given the ruby port finish after 1st-fill ex-bourbon. I gleaned little of the previous cask contents, though the cask being medium peated has no doubt contributed to the smoky wash-iness. C: A fine 7yo. In four words: elemental peated barley juice.

Better than expected

5+11+13+7 = 86 Nose & Mouth: light, pleasant smoke, smooth salmiak finish & in Brühl with a 10% spring discount

Sorry, good people, but Masha is mine but not fine. In my opinion, the smoky idea ruined this whisky; something went wrong with the malt; it doesn’t taste Scottish, as if it was smoked with peat from Kursk. 18 21 22 18

This year it's a 7-year-old medium-peated whisky with a six-month Ruby Port finish. It's the youngest release yet in the annual festival bottlings. At least the price is under €70. On the other hand, in 2020, the same price offered a Glen Scotia twice as old with a Tawny Port finish. In recent years, I've bought the bottlings blind and haven't really regretted it. This year, a sample will have to suffice for now. The color has a lovely reddish hue. glen-efze.de

Seven years old? Respect! Powerful, but not over the top.

The tobacco flavor is obvious, and the alcohol content is a bit strong.

86,8

Quite a good first impression. Right away, lots of salt and herbs, then a nice smokiness, then meat and fruit. Barbecue, smoked meats, a bit of minerality, but the vegetable character also shows through a bit. The taste is initially dominated by ash and earth, then the same smokiness and salt, and again a bit of vegetable flavor. Overall, the impression is pleasant, although there are some questions.

Campbeltown, 30/6/26. “Glen Scotia Limited Editions” tasting in the distillery. A special edition for this year's Campbeltown Festival. Our friends at WCI didn't appreciate it. In my opinion, however, it's good, with all the components well-integrated, including the alcohol. Notes of caramel, chestnut honey, red fruits, and chocolate. The peat, despite the 35 ppm, is barely noticeable, both on the nose and in the mouth, and adds structure and depth. I liked it: it doesn't try to overdo it but aims for balance, just how I like it.

A great bottling with good value for money and a good alternative to the overpriced Springbanks. The port harmonizes very well with the slightly smoky spirit!

Blog online during the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 on my website ! Conclusion: "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!"

Ashy and earthy

For its age, a good Glen Scotia that's quite enjoyable.

Smoky, fruity, medium long finish

Glen Scotia's maritime character meets a fruity port finish. The nose reveals distinct hints of bourbon maturation, but the finish has left its mark. Fruity jam, plum, dates, salted caramel. All underscored with a subtle smoke, it works very well. A few drops of water are needed to smooth out the alcohol peaks, but then it becomes beautifully creamy, oily, and overall very well-made. It loses a few points for the finish, where its youth is still somewhat apparent. With two or three more years, it might be a bit smoother. Nevertheless, it's a good result, although I would love to see another festival release over ten years old next year.

This new blend, with its elegant peaty flavor, finishes with Ruby Port, where the salty sea breeze, the sweetness of dark fruit, and the aroma of pepper evoke the gentle evening breeze of a Scottish summer, the crackling of a campfire on the shore, and the soft glow of the sunset as gentle as the wine in the bottle stained red by the Port cask.

Aroma: ashy sweet smoke, nice balance, bacon-like, vanilla base, alcohol, very well integrated, raspberry, red fruit, strawberry Taste: Sweet and spicy base notes, again present smoke, alcohol very well integrated, yet still somewhat youthful and sharp, chassis, medium finish, raspberry liqueur Color: Mustard-colored with a reddish tinge, medium waterline, clear Conclusion: It's quite enjoyable, even if its young age makes it seem more boisterous than the older bottlings in the festival series...

On the nose, it's gritty and mineral, but also tinglingly fruity with citrus notes, blackcurrant, strawberry, and raspberry jam. Hints of sweet cocktail cherries. On the palate, it's similarly gritty with a subtle, mineral smoke. Typical for a Campbeltown malt, in my opinion. Overlaid are fruity notes of cherries and strawberries. A vibrant whisky with the typically rugged Glen Scotia style, harmoniously complemented by intense red fruit notes. At 53.9% ABV, the alcohol is quite noticeable, and you can tell the whisky is still relatively young. At the same time, I find it astonishing how much cask influence the whisky has acquired in such a short time. I would love to try it at 12 years old and 51% ABV. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it.