You know it’s spring when the Campbeltown Malts Festival bottle arrives. Glen Scotia’s 2026 edition is a seven-year-old single malt bottled at a punchy 53.9%, spending six and a half years in ex-American oak before a six-month finish in first fill ruby port casks.
At around £60, it is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting and best-value releases of the year, and I’m giving it a solid eight and a half out of ten.
Before diving into flavour, there is a notable milestone worth mentioning. This is the first festival bottle to carry the name of Ashley Smith, Glen Scotia’s new master blender, following Ian MacAllister’s departure.
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READ THE STORYThe presentation is gorgeous, too: a beautiful accented blue bottle with teal detailing, and in the glass, the liquid shifts between deep orange and a subtle pinkishness courtesy of that ruby port influence. It looks every bit as intriguing as it tastes.
On the nose, a weird trend for me this year has been whiskies delivering lime as a predominant character, and this one sings with tons of fresh lime juice, much like the Redbreast Moscatel cask I reviewed recently.
Underneath that citrus burst sits creamy vanilla fudge and waves of milk chocolate and white chocolate that keep circling around. The medium peat makes itself known through earthy, almost agave-like smoke. And it is that agave quality that truly sets this whisky apart. If someone handed me this glass and told me it was an extra añejo mezcal, I would believe them without hesitation.
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There is roasted piña sweetness, honey, and that distinctive vegetable creaminess that mezcal is famous for, all running straight down the middle of the tongue.
On the palate, the instant it hits, it is all about smoke, acidity, and salt. The saltiness is classic Campbeltown, the kind you expect and welcome.
The ruby port amplifies those limey citrus acid notes to a remarkable degree, while the near-54% strength adds a layer of warming spice. As it moves around the mouth, everything condenses into something thick, intense, and creamy, yet threaded through with sharp, trebly acidity.
The finish rolls on with salt and tartness that gradually filters out into white chocolate, granular sugar, and a sweet American oak and port farewell. Adding water shifts the citrus from lime toward orange jelly and brings up an almost soy sauce saltiness, proving just how many layers are packed into this bottle.
If I had one small wish, it would be for the port influence to push a little harder with more red fruit richness and for the American oak character to scream out just a touch more. But these are minor notes on what is otherwise a remarkable dram.
For anyone who enjoys peated whisky or who already loves Glen Scotia’s distinctive Campbeltown funk, this is very likely a must-buy for the year. Has any whisky ever reminded you of a spirit from a completely different category?
To see my full tasting, head over to my YouTube channel.
