Keeping in this week’s theme of awesome scotch reviews, today we have the Glen Scotia Rum Cask Finish – Campbeltown Festival 2019. This is not the first time Glen Scotia has done a release like this, but it’s the first time it’s been available outside of the yearly festival, though festival attendees did get to try it first.
“Select markets” got cases of this whisky and luckily Los Angeles was one of those markets. I bought it blind based on the excitement of festival attendee, and my good friend, Bozzy and I’m glad I did. Coincidentally, he published his review of the whisky this week so if you want a second opinion, check out his site.
Glen Scotia Rum Cask Finish – Campbeltown Festival 2019 Review: Details and Tasting Notes
“Opens on a gentle sweet peat smoke, then citrus notes of lemon peel and pineapple juice. There is some vanilla syrup and pepper grinds with cinnamon and ginger spice to finish.”
Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)
Region: Campbeltown,
Distiller: Glen Scotia
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon, ex-Demerera Rum (8-month finish)
Age: 15 years
ABV: 51.3%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Batch: 2019
Price: $70
Tasting Notes
EYE
Light amber
NOSE
Malt, smoke, oak, baking spice, molasses, char, lemon peel with touches of cumin, waxy vanilla and some herbal hints.
PALATE
Oily nuts, malt, oak, brown sugar, herbal, smoke, lemon peel and bits of pine (Pine-sol?) and earthiness.
FINISH
Med-long -> Plasticy smoky, herbally spicy and a tad sweet.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Good sense of balance, med-full body and a light easy feel.
Glen Scotia Rum Cask Finish – Campbeltown Festival 2019 Review: Overall and Score
Aroma is shockingly oaky with a profile that moves from sweet to earthy and back; Palate is good, but lacks some of the depth the aroma carries and has less of the rum notes till water is added; Finish is pleasant and changes more sip-to-sip than most whiskys but stays on an earthy-smoky, herbal-spicy and lightly sweet track.
The peat is ephemeral, coming and going and battling the sweetness which is soft yet strong. Water opens a more minerally character and the spicy notes on the aroma and nutty notes on the palate amp up with more “rum” notes showing up in the finish. On the whole, the Glen Scotia Rum Cask Finish – Campbeltown Festival 2019 is crazy easy to drink, it’s so light and easy the 102.6 proof doesn’t really register.
SCORE: 4/5
Glen Scotia Rum Cask Finish - Campbeltown Festival 2019 Review $70
Overall
4- Nose (4)
- Palate (4)
- Finish (4)
- BBF (4)
User Review
0 (0 votes) Comments Rating 0 (0 reviews)Glen Scotia Rum Cask Finish - Campbeltown Festival 2019 Review Summary
The rum notes don’t charge through but come in lightly with nuanced precision and I find myself actually wanting more of the rum to arrive. It’s a good whisky, but I think they could have pushed the rum even further.
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