Thanks to all of you who have watched or are watching the video. Here is the shop link to the Malt Box store with every purchase helping to fund future reviews. Cheers! shop.spreadshirt.co.uk/maltbox/
Great review, Andy! Yep, we can thank our lucky stars that the old days of Glen Scotia’s cows staring at us from every tin are well and truly over. I think I recall their present manager saying in a recent interview that the previous owners (before the Loch Lomond group) had contracts that meant their best material - from the more active casks - was always sent off for use by other whisky producers and blenders. Whatever was left over - after fulfilling these contracts - was bottled locally under the Glen Scotia label. And so all the whisky left lying about in tired old casks that may have been 4th or 5th refill (perhaps 30 to 40 years old) became cow dram material! That explains a lot. The new management, I agree, is doing wonderful things with reviving this brand. The old contracts are gone, there’s a new wood purchasing and wood management programme in place - and the best stuff now goes out under the Glen Scotia label (without a cow to be seen or heard anywhere). Praise the Lord and halleluja!!! So we’re now enjoying the benefits of that massive change and, yes, you’re right, our palates are telling us that this stuff is of high quality, and sometimes even stellar quality. I’m lucky to be able to get this on the German market, and last week just paid €63 for a bottle (not yet opened). If it’s anything like last year’s release (rum cask finish), it’s gonna be another beauty. Before I close, can I sing the praises of the core range? The standard Glen Scotia 15yo and the Victoriana are also brilliant drams - and they’re not going to tear a hole in your wallet either. Typical Campbeltown style with a bit of funk, a bit of peat, some excellent maturation in active casks (great ex-bourbon American oak) and suddenly Springbank must be realizing that they’ve got some serious competition in the cult whisky stakes. Many thanks for your review, Andy, and keep up the great work! Cheers.
Great stuff Russell thanks for your feedback and for watching. Totally agree GS is gaining a cult following! The 15 is a great deam and is on the list for future reviews. I've spoken with Michael Henry recently, head blender at Loch Lomond who also oversees the GS blending and the difference between the old GS and new is nighr and day. Long may it continue
Had a bottle of last year's and really enjoyed it. Hope this one ends up in a store near me. Actually hoping a lot of festival bottles come my way since they did not have the festivals they need to sell those bottles. Cheers.
Good review...I entirely agree about a Glen Scotia improving massively over last few years. Maybe not quite on a par with it’s two illustrious neighbours, but their output is much improved.
I’ll defo be picking this up at some point. Bought multiple bottles of the 2018 & 2019 versions. Absolutely loved the 2018 ruby port. A real stunner. Last years was good but I found it a little too rounded and didn’t have the same prowess that I want from a Glen Scotia. You know, flavour density that comes with all things Campbeltown. Slainte 🥃
Thx for the review Andy! It's great to see you enjoy it. I love this edition. In Germany you can easily get it under 70€, often 65€. This weird pricing makes it an even better deal here. I agree with you about the overall balance and the moderated impact of peat, even though it's supposed to be one of the peatiest Glen Scotias. The port finish is not overwhelming either. It adds fruitiness without dominating. The maritime Glen Scotia character is unmistakably still there. Now I need to find budget for another bottle 😢
Great review looks like you enjoyed that one. And your right mate my palette and nose is slowly improving and I'm enjoying it. Ref your merc fairplay to you I've had a browse some great stuff there. Stay safe mate.
Phil Clurow Hi Phil thanks for watching. I’m running without scoring at the moment just to try it out. To be honest I don’t really use glencairns much and opt for an ISO tasting glass as I prefer using them and they’re a lot cheaper! The latter would really be the reason not running with glencairns but again looking into the possibility of having branded glasses in some form. Cheers
"I might as well address the elephant in the room... um..." Oh, I guess he's going to talk about his new hairc... "Obviously it didn't happen this year." *nervous laugh* Yeah. Um... please carry on. 😅
just discovered your reviews/blog.. enjoying them very much. i'm fairly new to 'good' whisky so wont be spending £75 on a bottle yet. Can you, or anyone reading this, advise on a good addition to my shelf please? i have: Ardbeg 10, Monkeyshoulder, Bruichladdich Scottish Barley, Benromach 10, old pulteney 12, Wemyss the hive, Highland park 12, Tullibardine 225 Sauternes finish (Meh!). Also, are there any online whisky clubs that have tasting events?
Hi Geordie! I recommend you get yourself a standard Campbeltown malt, so Kilkerran 12 or Springbank 10. Enjoy the journey!!! And check out the London Whisky Club.
Hi Geordie Trout thanks for watching! I always make sure to have a Deanston 12 on the shelf. A lovely and well made dram. Stands head and shoulders above a lot of other 12s and is easily found online including Amazon and in some supermarkets. If we're talking Peated then Kilkerran 12 is great value. I'm not a member of any online clubs but I know that Summerton Whisky Club is holding a great online festival on 30th May with several drams and snacks etc including masterclasses and cocktail sessions. Check it out
Nice work mate..plenty of reviewers out there but I'm adding you to my subscribed list cos you seem genuine and not full of shit or overloud American guitar music on the intro. Well in mate. Looking forward to your channel developing. Make sure your t-shirts aren't shit quality or people won't buy them for mates or prezzies. Just sayin. Charge more & tell everyone they are quality. Get a quality supplier. It will work in the long run. USP & all that.
Thanks to all of you who have watched or are watching the video. Here is the shop link to the Malt Box store with every purchase helping to fund future reviews. Cheers!
shop.spreadshirt.co.uk/maltbox/
Loved this one so much I had to buy a 2nd bottle through Scotch Whisky Auctions
Great review, Andy! Yep, we can thank our lucky stars that the old days of Glen Scotia’s cows staring at us from every tin are well and truly over. I think I recall their present manager saying in a recent interview that the previous owners (before the Loch Lomond group) had contracts that meant their best material - from the more active casks - was always sent off for use by other whisky producers and blenders. Whatever was left over - after fulfilling these contracts - was bottled locally under the Glen Scotia label. And so all the whisky left lying about in tired old casks that may have been 4th or 5th refill (perhaps 30 to 40 years old) became cow dram material! That explains a lot. The new management, I agree, is doing wonderful things with reviving this brand. The old contracts are gone, there’s a new wood purchasing and wood management programme in place - and the best stuff now goes out under the Glen Scotia label (without a cow to be seen or heard anywhere). Praise the Lord and halleluja!!! So we’re now enjoying the benefits of that massive change and, yes, you’re right, our palates are telling us that this stuff is of high quality, and sometimes even stellar quality. I’m lucky to be able to get this on the German market, and last week just paid €63 for a bottle (not yet opened). If it’s anything like last year’s release (rum cask finish), it’s gonna be another beauty. Before I close, can I sing the praises of the core range? The standard Glen Scotia 15yo and the Victoriana are also brilliant drams - and they’re not going to tear a hole in your wallet either. Typical Campbeltown style with a bit of funk, a bit of peat, some excellent maturation in active casks (great ex-bourbon American oak) and suddenly Springbank must be realizing that they’ve got some serious competition in the cult whisky stakes. Many thanks for your review, Andy, and keep up the great work! Cheers.
Great stuff Russell thanks for your feedback and for watching. Totally agree GS is gaining a cult following! The 15 is a great deam and is on the list for future reviews. I've spoken with Michael Henry recently, head blender at Loch Lomond who also oversees the GS blending and the difference between the old GS and new is nighr and day. Long may it continue
Had a bottle of last year's and really enjoyed it. Hope this one ends up in a store near me. Actually hoping a lot of festival bottles come my way since they did not have the festivals they need to sell those bottles. Cheers.
Dig your review! Thanks for posting this. I just grabbed a bottle.
Great review. It’s being released in Sweden on Tuesday. Getting two of them if I can. They cheaper in Sweden, £60.
Good review...I entirely agree about a Glen Scotia improving massively over last few years.
Maybe not quite on a par with it’s two illustrious neighbours, but their output is much improved.
Just only found you through this Glen Scotia. Glad I did!
Thanks for watching Silver Sands. Great to have you
Thx for the review - my bottle is still in the mail :-)
Tried the rumcask finished from last year and it was kinda weird...
I didn’t love the rum, the 2018 version, Ruby Port finish, is amazing though.
I’ll defo be picking this up at some point. Bought multiple bottles of the 2018 & 2019 versions. Absolutely loved the 2018 ruby port. A real stunner. Last years was good but I found it a little too rounded and didn’t have the same prowess that I want from a Glen Scotia. You know, flavour density that comes with all things Campbeltown. Slainte 🥃
Cheers for watching Fox. Great drams all round
Really looking forward to trying this. It was purchased as a bottle share. Could be a while until we can meet up but it sounds worth the wait!
Thanks for watching James. It will certainly be a dram to help celebrate the end of lockdown!
Thx for the review Andy! It's great to see you enjoy it. I love this edition. In Germany you can easily get it under 70€, often 65€. This weird pricing makes it an even better deal here.
I agree with you about the overall balance and the moderated impact of peat, even though it's supposed to be one of the peatiest Glen Scotias. The port finish is not overwhelming either. It adds fruitiness without dominating. The maritime Glen Scotia character is unmistakably still there.
Now I need to find budget for another bottle 😢
I'm always invariably jealous of some if the whisky pricing in Germany! If you can get hold of one I would! Thanks for watching
UK, like Irland, has ~70% tax on whisky
Thanks for the great review. Sounds like a really good whisky. Would love to find it if possible.
Thanks for watching Cliff. This is a dram I'd really recommend.
Great review looks like you enjoyed that one. And your right mate my palette and nose is slowly improving and I'm enjoying it. Ref your merc fairplay to you I've had a browse some great stuff there. Stay safe mate.
Thanks Leejay much appreciated
Great review! What do you have up your sleeve for #100?
Hi Andy, great review, no mark though, why no plans for a branded Glencairn ?
Phil Clurow Hi Phil thanks for watching. I’m running without scoring at the moment just to try it out. To be honest I don’t really use glencairns much and opt for an ISO tasting glass as I prefer using them and they’re a lot cheaper! The latter would really be the reason not running with glencairns but again looking into the possibility of having branded glasses in some form. Cheers
"I might as well address the elephant in the room... um..."
Oh, I guess he's going to talk about his new hairc...
"Obviously it didn't happen this year."
*nervous laugh* Yeah. Um... please carry on. 😅
that gave a good laugh!
Woah, woah, woah! Roll that one back. Belting cut that by the good lady wife haha. Brace yourselves because its here for a while longer yet 😂
Got your self a new sub:)
just discovered your reviews/blog.. enjoying them very much. i'm fairly new to 'good' whisky so wont be spending £75 on a bottle yet. Can you, or anyone reading this, advise on a good addition to my shelf please? i have: Ardbeg 10, Monkeyshoulder, Bruichladdich Scottish Barley, Benromach 10, old pulteney 12, Wemyss the hive, Highland park 12, Tullibardine 225 Sauternes finish (Meh!). Also, are there any online whisky clubs that have tasting events?
Hi Geordie! I recommend you get yourself a standard Campbeltown malt, so Kilkerran 12 or Springbank 10. Enjoy the journey!!! And check out the London Whisky Club.
Hi Geordie Trout thanks for watching! I always make sure to have a Deanston 12 on the shelf. A lovely and well made dram. Stands head and shoulders above a lot of other 12s and is easily found online including Amazon and in some supermarkets. If we're talking Peated then Kilkerran 12 is great value. I'm not a member of any online clubs but I know that Summerton Whisky Club is holding a great online festival on 30th May with several drams and snacks etc including masterclasses and cocktail sessions. Check it out
Nice work mate..plenty of reviewers out there but I'm adding you to my subscribed list cos you seem genuine and not full of shit or overloud American guitar music on the intro. Well in mate. Looking forward to your channel developing. Make sure your t-shirts aren't shit quality or people won't buy them for mates or prezzies. Just sayin. Charge more & tell everyone they are quality. Get a quality supplier. It will work in the long run. USP & all that.
Thanks Azza, great to have you here and really appreciate your feedback