Glen Scotia has unveiled the fourth expression in its five-part Icons of Campbeltown series, a limited-edition 12-year-old unpeated single malt. The whisky pays homage to the Griffin, a legendary creature said to have guarded Campbeltown’s harbor and its whisky.
The annual collection draws inspiration from folklore tales of Scotland’s smallest whisky-making region.
Each release references carvings on Campbeltown’s 14th-century market cross, which depicts saints and beasts shrouded in myth. Among the markings is the Griffin, a half-eagle, half-lion figure said to embody strength, vigilance, and protection.
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READ THE STORYRelease No.4 was finished in Vin Santo wine casks. According to the official notes from the brand, this brings a honeyed sweetness layered with dried apricot and sultana, alongside toasted almond, hazelnut, and a hint of cinnamon spice. Glen Scotia again worked with artist Joel Holtzman on the artwork, whose previous clients include Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.
“Our small town has so many exceptional stories to tell, and The Icons of Campbeltown series brings this incredible folklore to life,” said Ashley Smith, master blender at Glen Scotia.
Smith linked the Griffin’s role to the distillery’s team.
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“The Griffin stood watch over Campbeltown for hundreds of years, and that’s exactly how I think of our distillery team, as the guardians of Glen Scotia’s whisky,” she said. “Every cask that leaves here has been shaped by people protecting a character that has come to be loved all over the world, through skill built up over generations.”
She added: “For this release, I wanted a cask that would truly complement that character, so we finished the whisky in Vin Santo casks. They’ve brought a honeyed sweetness and dried fruit, with toasted almond and warming cinnamon on the finish, with our distinctive coastal salt character anchoring it all.”
The whisky is bottled at batch strength of 53.8% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in color. It retails at $109 (£80, ₹10,324) and is available now via Glen Scotia’s website and specialist retailers globally.
To mark the launch, the distillery is offering buyers the chance to win a trip to Campbeltown to meet the team and tour the distillery.
Established in 1832, Glen Scotia is one of only three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown, which was once home to over 30 distilleries during the Victorian era.
