The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Glen Scotia 15 Year Old
Scotch WhiskyIssue 27

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old

Loch Lomond Group · Glen Scotia Distillery, Campbeltown

$9592 Proof (46% ABV) proof15 YearsDistilled in Campbeltown, on the southern tip of the Kintyre Peninsula
Glen Scotia 15 is the proving ground for an entire whisky region. Campbeltown's story is one of spectacular decline — from over thirty distilleries to just three — and Glen Scotia has been there through nearly all of it, distilling since 1832. This 15-year-old bottling, presented at a confident 46% ABV without chill filtration, demonstrates exactly what has been worth preserving: a style that is uniquely Campbeltown, maritime and honeyed, with a brininess you simply cannot replicate elsewhere. It is proof that survival is its own kind of excellence. Cocktail — The Campbeltown Mist: 2 oz Glen Scotia 15, 0.5 oz honey syrup, 3 dashes orange bitters. Stir over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Express a lemon peel over the surface and discard. The honey amplifies the whisky's natural sweetness while the citrus lifts its maritime edges.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Honeycomb and green apple lead, followed by ripe pear, a gentle floral vanilla, and a distinctive maritime salinity — the sea air that defines Campbeltown. Orange blossom honey and ginger snap biscuit emerge with time, along with a whisper of baked fruit.

Palate

Briny entry that gives way to green apple and apricot, then a wave of caramelized sugar and plump dried fruit. The maritime character weaves through every note, grounding the sweetness with a savory mineral quality. Oak spice and malt appear mid-palate, balanced by a honeyed warmth.

Finish

Long and warming, with lingering oak, a dry maritime saltiness, gentle spice, and a smooth honeyed sweetness that fades slowly. Whisky

Specifications
Distillation
Double distilled in copper pot stills with a longer fermentation cycle
Maturation
First-fill bourbon barrels and refill American oak casks
Chill-Filtered
Non-chill filtered
Serve & Pair

Food Pairing

Seared scallops with brown butter and capers, where the whisky's brine and honeyed oak echo the dish's sweet-savory interplay.

Train These Aromas
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