24/05/2018 Campbeltown Festival 2018 (Day 2 -- Part 1) Glen Scotia Dunnage tasting

The casual reader might notice there is no account of Day 1. The Springbank Malt Barn Dinner did take place, and I was there. However, I took no notes. I have samples of all the drams and might post about them in the near future.

Before today's event, we wait in the distillery shop and browse the selection. I get to try a couple of exclusive bottlings, which do not convince me enough to buy them, and the 25yo. I liked that one a lot when I tried it; I am less convinced, today.
The employee pours the green-bottled Victoriana to someone and explains that green glass is for liquor (sic), brown for medicine and blue for stay away. "Haig Club?" I venture.

JS and I attend this warehouse shindig alongside fifteen-or-so others, one of them a rather irritating know-it-all. Others are nice and enthusiastic, including a Belgian, near me. "Your English is very good... for a French speaker," he says. Thanks. I choose to laugh about it rather than be offended.
The visit last year was a tour of the distillery and a taste of four casks. We cut to the chase, this year, and focus on the casks.

Glen Scotia d.2000 (±56.8%, cask sample, First Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#239): why the '±'? Well, it was probably exactly that when they selected the cask, but it keeps changing, since the whisky is still in the cask. Nose: an orchard fruit, fruity yoghurt, sultanas, Smyrna, stollen, icing sugar and apple shavings. This is old-school, OB Scotia in full. Mouth: soft, it has custard, vanilla, chocolate pudding, some wood shavings, and a bit of anaesthetising spices. Finish: orchard fruits again, yoghurt, more spices, custard and some wood influence. This is nice. A powerful Scotia (in terms of alcohol) with gentle flavours. After a few sips, the back is bitter, with green hazelnut shells and a salty tang (JS). 8/10

Glen Scotia d.2006 (±57%, cask sample, First Fill Bourbon Barrel, C#433): nose: powerful, this one. It has boiled sweets, then becomes more herbaceous, with pollen, old, faded gauze, rosemary in custard, gentle sticky toffee pudding, citrus peels and chocolate. Mouth: very citrus-y, here, it has lime, grapefruit skins, ginger shavings, mandarin, dried citrus peels. It is almost drying. Finish: a touch of wood spices, fruity yoghurt and, again, lots of dried citrus peels -- mandarins, tangerines, satsumas and grapefruit. 8/10

Please buy a Glen Scotia hat.
Please do not wear it at Glen Scotia.

Glen Scotia d.1989 (±55%, cask sample, Refill Sherry Hogshead, C#316): nose: leather, lamp oil, a hint of smoke (we are told the cask used to contain peated whisky before being filled with this one), a toolbox, a mechanic's workshop, as seen from behind a curtain. This one is almost farmyard-y, with distant farm paths, manure and dry hay. Mouth: an orchard fruit, here, compote in a cast-iron cauldron. It is warm, big and powerful, though not boisterous; it shows tranquil strength. Finish: here is the weak spot: it has  wine-y note. Apart from it, it has nuts, melted apples and lingonberry compote. 8/10

After I make a comment that aims to be funny, Iain McAllister dares me to open the final cask.

I master the bung-whacking technique, too!

Glen Scotia d.2008 (±58%, cask sample, Oloroso Hogshead, C#8): this one is peated and a mix of several first-fill Bourbon casks vatted into this hogshead for the last ten months. We are told the malt comes from Glen Esk Maltings. Nose: very farm-y, with manure, rotting apples, burning hay and ash. It even has notes of Morbier cheese. Mouth: soft, salty, very salty, with also horse's sweat. Finish: char-y, ashy, salty syrup. It has a sweetness to it too, sharp and drying like rum. 8/10

Glen Scotia d.2013 (unknown ABV, cask sample, ex-Bourbon Barrel, C#96): we finish with a heavily-peated dram -- to make sure we do not leave thirsty, you understand. Nose: ash, dry earth, hot sand, baked clay. This is so dry! Mouth: soft, discreet. I cannot taste much, really, other than it is summer-dry, with hay. Finish: very smoky, with more hot hay, very dry earth, coal dust and embers. This is alright. A bit too simple, compared with the others. 7/10

About when is best to drink the last dram:
Tourist: "You know, when you come home from a bad day..."
IMcA: "I don't get them!"

Need to run. We are soon late for our next tasting. Also, I am tipsy.