Glen Scotia 20 Year Old 1992 Anam na h-Alba

Glen Scotia is owned by Loch Lomond. The distillery has been for sale for quite some time, but no one seems to be eager. So the crew of neighbouring Springbank operates the distillery three months a year to produce spirit. The official 12 Year Old is not my cup of tea, but Glen Scotia does have a few gems as well, such as the 27 Year Old 1966 from Signatory and the 20 Year Old from Malts of Scotland. Well, look here. This one is also 20 years old, also matured on a sherry cask and also bottled at high strength. This might just be great indeed. It is very dark, like cough syrup.

The nose indeed cannot hide (as if it would want to) that this was a first fill sherry cask. Coffee, balsamic, raisins, gravy and dry wine. Red wine, obviously. Fairly smoky, too. Not peat per sé, but from the charred wood. Mint and tobacco. After some patience, the red wine evaporates to make place for juicy dark fruit. Berries, cherries and prunes. Chestnut give it a bitter edge. Water emphasizes the cherries, but also add a lightly rubber edge, like a bicycle tyre.

The attack is very powerful and Spice. So powerful (read alcoholic), that it masks the underlying flavours. So I have no alternative than to add water. The rubber, luckily, does not return. I do get oranges, cherries, raisins, mint and some oak. Cloves and black pepper.

In the long and warm finish, there is a dirty dusty side. Weird, but not unpleasant.

Good nose without water, good palate with water. Well, that makes it somewhat difficult of course. This one takes about 119 EUR from your whisky budget. Thanks for the sample, Dirk.

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