Glen Scotia 25 year old

This is a superb release from the Glen Scotia Distillery located in Campbeltown. The 25 year old was drawn from specially selected casks and married in first-fill Bourbon barrels before being bottled at 48.8%ABV. Expect a lovely shortbread like sweetness with gentle maritime saltiness.

Glen Scotia distillery

Glen Scotia distillery is located in Campbeltown, Scotland. It was founded in 1832 as 'Scotia distillery' by a local company who ran it until 1895. Like many distilleries at the time, it faced tough trading conditions during WWI. The distillery founded the West Highland Malt Distillers Group (WHMDG) along with five other local distilleries.

All of the distilleries in WHMDG went under apart from Glen Scotia. It was purchased in 1924 by Duncan MacCallum owner of Glen Nevis distillery (now defunct). The new owner was forced to close the distillery in 1928 but re-opened it in 1930. On that year MacCallum lost his life savings in a scam and committed suicide by drowning in Campbeltown Loch. Stories abound claiming that his ghost haunts the distillery. 

On that year the distillery was purchased by Bloch Bros. and it was them who added the word 'Glen' to the distillery's name. The distillery somehow survived the WWII trade slump and it was sold in 1954 to Canadian distillers Hiram Walker. Several changes of ownership took place between 1955 and 1994. It also faced periods of closure.

In 2012 new packaging with a Highland cow was introduced. The new look divided opinion. The packaging was changed again after Glen Scotia was sold to the Loch Lomond Group in 2014.

This distillery produces three types of whisky, one un-peated, one medium-peated and one heavily peated. Fermentation and distillation times vary and there is a lot of investment in casks.