Glen Scotia 2020 Seasonal Release - Sherry Double Cask Finish

Glen Scotia's Double Cask has been around for a number of years - an ex-bourbon matured whisky finished for up to 12 months in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks offering rich spicy fruits, overlaid with the characteristic sea spray and oak spice typical of Glen Scotia.

Alongside this year's Tawny Port Limited Edition Glen Scotia have released a second Double Cask, this time though it's a batch strength Limited Edition.....

This release is part of Glen Scotia's plans to have a second annual release, like the festival releases, which are batch (or limited) release, cask strength, NCF and natural colour. Whilst the Festival release will always be peated the second release is always going to be unpeated or may introduce a low level to show a different aspect of the distillery character.

This 2020 release, Sherry Double Cask Finish, is from 2008 distillations using 100% unpeated spirit matured in 1st fill bourbon casks for 10 years. The casks were then vatted together for finishing in a combination of 70% 1st fill Oloroso and 30% PX sherry hogsheads for 10 months. Finally the casks were again vatted together and filled into refill bourbon, marrying for 2 months before bottling.

The use of 100% unpeated spirit is interesting, as far as I know the only other 100% unpeated Glen Scotia expression is the 18yo, all other regular releases have some element of peated spirit in them.

                

Distillery notes:

The combination of sherry casks brings wonderful winter flavours of raisin and sultanas alongside warming spicy notes of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg - a truly festive feast for the palate. With a rich and velvety mouthfeel and long, nutty dry finish Glen Scotia Sherry Double is the perfect accompaniment to many festive delicacies!

Nose: Spiced rum, juicy plum, toffee and citrus peel. 

 

Taste : Rich velvety mouthfeel, sweet vanilla and salted butter. Raisins and sultanas with warming spice of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg 

 

Finish : Long, nutty, dry finish.

Let's see what it's like....

Info: 11yo, 54.1% ABV, Natural colour, NCF, c15,000 bottles

Appearance: Mid gold in colour, a hint of red? Swirls cling to the glass as a hairline crack, take an age to bead up and fall as thin oily legs.

Nose: Musty dunnage warehouse notes - strawberry jam but also other dark fruit and berries - plums, dates, black cherries, blackberries. I keep thinking peat smoke but them say there isn't any... cask char maybe?

Palate: Smooth very sweet arrival, hints of toffee, honey and tropical fruit then the spice kicks in - Christmas spices - cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and a little dried fruit. There is a weird cardamom note here too. 

Finish: Long lingering spice, very drying and that cardamom note again.

Overall:  Wow I think I've just tried the first Glen Scotia I wasn't keen on... It seems to have lost it's Campbeltown DNA - no smoky salinity, no oak led spice. There is the oily appearance and a little tropical fruit but I'm not convinced. I know this is a special release and is supposed to be a little different but if I'd blind tasted it I'd never have said Glen Scotia. That said, you might like it, sherry led but not a sherry bomb by any means. I'll keep going back to the Tawny Port for my Glen Scotia fix.

Many thanks to Glen Scotia for the sample. Sherry Double Cask is available in Europe now and in the UK next month - buy a bottle and try it - let me know what you think.

Photo: Glen Scotia Whisky fan @glen_scotia