Caperdonich 18 Years Review - Glen Keith 19 Years Review - Strathmill 21 Years Review


“Anam na h-Alba Special”

Introduction:

Most of you know that I mainly use samples and miniatures when preparing my Reviews. I usually buy these in Holland and sometimes in Germany or the UK. Sometimes I receive samples from friends or readers or independent bottlers. In only two cases I received a few samples directly from distilleries. When planning my reviews for the coming months I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as other Whisky/Whiskey/Bourbon producing regions all over the world with special attention to the USA, Ireland and Japan. And last but not least the blends. At the request of many readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the format of Specials. These specials will deal with a specific bottler like today or with specific regions, countries or distilleries. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate on the Whisky and won't go into details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. Today's special will look at three Single Malts from Speyside, bottled by German Indie-Bottler Anam na h-Alba. Enjoy! 

Anam na h-Alba (The Soul of Scotland)

Anam na h-Alba (The Soul of Scotland) was founded in 2011 by Tom Skowronek in the city of Oberhausen in the German Ruhr area. It's the first independent bottler in that part of Germany. The goal of the company is to identify selected casks of Whisky all over Europe but particularly in Scotland. These casks will then be bottled at Cask Strength under the Anam na h-Alba label. All Malts are coloured naturally and Chill-Filtration is not applied. The company grew steady over the years and in 2015 a small Tasting Shop was opened in Oberhausen. In June of 2018 the company will organise Edition # 4 of "Just Whisky", the Whisky Fair in Oberhausen. You can find their Web Shop here: Anam na h-Alba.

In today's Special I will look at three of their older Single Cask releases. They are no longer available in the shop but you might find the odd bottle on the Internet or in auctions.

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Whisky Review # 636

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Caperdonich 1994
Status Distillery: Closed in 2002. Demolished in 2010
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 18 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 49.2%
Maturation: Bourbon Barrel (155 Bottles)  
Chill Filtration: No  
Price Range: Around 100 US Dollars. (August 2017)
Sample received from Tom in Germany. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice:😏 Typical Aperitif Malt. Too expensive for what it offers. 

Colour: Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Fresh, Crisp and Clean. Sweet but also with a few Sour and Herbal notes. A typical Summer Dram to enjoy before Lunch or Dinner. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Apple-Juice, Unripe Pear, Melon, Lemon Peel, Heather-Honey, Grass, Straw, Fresh Mint, light Aniseed, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Cocoa Powder, Dried Herbs and hints of Nail Polish, Charred Oak and Bitter Lemon (Soft drink). A few Floral notes that I can't put a name to. Uncomplicated is the best way to describe this Caperdonich. Caperdonich was often referred to as Glen Grant 2 and with reason. This is quite similar to a Glen Grant 16 Years I tasted earlier.

Palate: Mainly Sweet and a little Edgy. The Alcohol is a bit Sharp. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Green Apple, Unripe Pear, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nut Shells, Grass, Straw, Charred Oak, Wet Stones, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom, light Licorice and traces of Tobacco and Cocoa Powder. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Creamy, slightly Sharp and Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable by now.  I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Gooseberries, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nut Shells, Tobacco, Grass, Charred Oak, Mint, light Aniseed, Ginger, Cardamom, Pepper, light Licorice, Wet Stone and Dried Herbs.     

Rating: 81.5

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Conclusion

This Caperdonich was distilled on the 9th of July, 1994 and bottled on the 17th of August, 2012. It is not a very intriguing Single Malt. Quite Floral and Lemony with a few Spices and Herbs for balance. Nice aperitif on a sunny day. The Finish is a tad too bitter and the Alcohol becomes more noticeable towards the end. It's okay I guess but not really my favourite type of Malt.


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Whisky Review # 637

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Glen Keith 1992
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 19 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 51.9%
Maturation: American Oak Barrel (217 Bottles) 
Chill Filtration: No   
Price Range: Around 110 US Dollars. (August 2017)
Sample received from Tom in Germany. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice: 😏 A bit too Aggressive and Sharp for a Speyside Malt. 

Colour: Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose: Be sure to give this Glen Keith sufficient time in the glass before Nosing. The Alcohol is present and you will need to find your way around it. On the Nose, this Glen Keith is Sweet, Fruity and Floral. I find Toasted Malt, Butterkekse (German Butter Biscuits), Vanilla, Toffee, Heather-Honey, Straw, Grass, Fresh Pastry, Latte Macchiato, Charred Oak, Bourbon, Banana Ice Cream, Stewed Apple, Pineapple, Pear, Nectarine, Mandarin Peel, Lemon Juice, Cinnamon, light Pepper, light Aniseed and Mint.        

Palate: Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sharp with a few Mineral - and Sour notes as well. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Oak, Grass, Straw, Melon, Lemon, Grapefruit, Sour Berries or Grapes, Wet Rocks, Cocoa Powder, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Apple-Vinegar, Menthol and light Licorice.  

Finish: Middle-Long, slightly Sharp and Bitter-Sweet. Quite Dry in the end and a tad too Bitter. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Nut-Shells, Lemon/Grapefruit Juice, Grass, Charred Oak, Apple-Vinegar, Wet Rocks, Cocoa Powder, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamon, Menthol and light Licorice.  

Rating: 82.5  

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5 

Conclusion

This Glen Keith was distilled on the 1st of October, 1990 and bottled on the 28th of August 2012. It's not a bad Single Malt but I find it to be a little Aggressive and Edgy for a Speysider. The Alcohol is quite present. The Sweetness of the Fruit is clearly overpowered by the Bitterness of Wood - and Wood spice, most notably on the Palate and in the Finish. Not a perfect interaction between Cask and Spirit in my opinion.

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Whisky Review # 638

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Strathmill 1990
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 21 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54.5%
Maturation:Re-Fill Sherry Butt (171 Bottles)  
Chill Filtration: No   
Price Range: Around 75 US Dollars. (August 2017)
Sample received from Tom in Germany. Many Thanks! 
Buying Advice: 😐 If you're into Wood and Spice Go for it! Price is okay!

Colour: Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose: Mature Nose. Certainly not a Sherry Bomb though. The Refill Butt did leave some mild Sherry notes like Raisins, Marzipan and Nuts. The Oak is there of course but not at all in a dominant way. The Alcohol is reasonably integrated. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Straw, Grass, Citrus Peel, Cocoa Powder, Dried Apple and Pineapple, Dirt Road, Pastry, light Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger. A hint of Espresso.     

Palate: Bitter-Sweet and Spicy with some Sour and Mineral notes as well. I find Toasted Barley, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Green Apple, Nectarine, Nuts, Dried Fruit (Raisins), Cocoa Powder, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, light Aniseed, Lemon Peel, Grapefruit, Wet Rocks and Oak.    

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Spicy and Creamy. Quite Dry in the end. The Oak and Wood spice are more present now. I find Toasted Malt, Butterscotch, Treacle, Dried Fruit (Raisins), Hazelnuts, Straw, Green Apple, Nectarine, Dried Herbs, Lemon/Grapefruit Juice, light Ashes, Wet Rocks, Pepper, Nutmeg, light Aniseed, Ginger, Cardamom and Menthol. 

Rating: 82

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5 

Conclusion

This Strathmill was distilled on the 4th of May 1990 and bottled on the 10th of April 2012. Although this Refill Sherry Butt was not the most active around, I still believe this Strathmill was bottled a couple of years too late. Unless you are an absolute fan of Wood and Wood spices on the Palate and in the Finish. For me personally it was a bit too much Bitter Oak and Nutmeg. The Strathmill spirit is mostly used in Blends like J&B. You don't find a lot of Single Malts around. I believe I can see why as the Spirit does not have sufficient personality to absorb 21 years in the cask. Drowned in Wood!  


Drinking Advice:
Due to the fact that I merely had small samples at my disposal, I only Nosed and Tasted these three Single Malts neat.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 28, 2017

Bowmore Vault Edition First Release Review


“A (Not Too) Salty Dog”   

Whisky Review # 635

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Bowmore Vault Edition # 1 (First Release - Atlantic Sea Salt)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 51.5%
Maturation: Bourbon casks 
Chill Filtration: Probably.  
Price Range: 100-140 US Dollars. (August 2017)
Buying Advice: 😏 Very expensive for what it offers!

Colour: Light Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young and rather Thin. Obviously Bowmore didn't pick the oldest Spirit from their Vault # 1. In a way that makes sense as well as the Salty elements tend to diminish over time. But I don't get a lot of Atlantic Sea Salt either! The Vault Edition # 1 also does not present a lot of Smoke. It's there of course but only in the background. I also find very low levels of Tar, Soot, Ashes, Leather, Iodine and Brine. I do find slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, light Toffee, Toasted Barley, light Charcoal, Citrus Peel, Dried Herbs, Coconut Milk, Grapefruit Juice, Tobacco, Dusty Road, Wet Stones and a few hints of PVC Pipes, Aniseed, Cured Meat and Cocoa Powder. Most of these Aromas are quite faint and it takes a lot of time to find them. It took me over an hour just to have an idea. All in all, the Nose of this Vault Edition # 1 lacks complexity, substance and balance. It's quite disappointing really, especially when you take the hefty price tag into consideration.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Young and slightly Thin despite the high ABV. There is definitively more Salt now and Cured Salami comes to my mind. The Smoke, Peat, Iodine, Soot, Tar and Ashes are still there but remain in the background. This is Islay-Light, even for Bowmore. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley, Sugared Tea, Charred Oak, Vanilla, Cocoa Powder, Orange Peel, Grapefruit/Lemon Juice, Green Apple, light Ginger, Cinnamon, Lemon-Pepper, light Nutmeg, Licorice, Aniseed, Dried Herbs, Tobacco and Mint.    

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Spicy. Dry Smoke, light Soot and Ashes remain a little longer on your Palate. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley,  Brown Sugar, light Caramel, Cocoa Powder, Wet Stone, light Plastic, Grapefruit Juice, Charred Oak, Salted Bacon, Lemon-Pepper, Clove, light Ginger, light Aniseed, Licorice, Dried Herbs, Apple-Vinegar, light Vanilla and Black Currants.

Visit May 2017

Drinking Advice:
This Bowmore does not improve with added Water despite the high ABV. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 82.5 

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5


General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

Bowmore is the oldest Distillery on Islay and was founded in 1779 by David Simpson. It changed hands a couple of times along the years but since 1994 the Japanese Suntory group controls Bowmore. Bowmore still malts around 30% of the Barley on their premises. They currently produce around 1,3 million liters of Alcohol. The core range includes the NAS Small Batch Reserve, the 12, the 15 Darkest, the 18 and 25 Years. Some of the Bowmore Spirit is used in Blends like Rob Roy and Black Bottle. We visited the distillery in 2014 and 2017. I really like the Malting Floor. Nice Shop and Visitor-Centre. Certainly well-worth the visit.  

The Vault Edition First Release is called Atlantic Sea Salt and was launched at the end of 2016. It is the first in a series of 4 Single Malts that will be released on an annual basis and seek to highlight the main characteristics of the Bowmore Spirit. The next three expressions will examine Peat/Smoke, Vanilla and Citrus.

Visit May 2014
🍷  The Spirit 

Bowmore has 2 pairs of Stills. The Lyne arms point slightly upwards and produce a Medium-Bodied, lightly Medicinal Spirit. The Water is sourced from the River Laggan. Lack of rain can upset Bowmore's production as we have seen in the past.

Visit May 2014

🌲  The Wood:

This Bowmore matured in Bourbon casks that were apparently handpicked in the famous Bowmore No. 1 Vault that was constructed in 1779 directly on the shoreline of Loch Indaal. In my opinion the casks were not extremely active and/or did not get sufficient contact with the Spirit. The high ABV can't disguise this I'm afraid.  

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion

The Bowmore Vault Edition # 1 is not a bad Single Malt but it kinda disappoints nevertheless. More and more we encounter these relatively young Single malts that come with a high ABV,  a beautiful story and a hefty Price tag. I really like Bowmore's idea to highlight their main characteristics in a series of Single Malts but I would have wished for a better execution of the idea. The way it stands now is that the Vault Edition # 1 does not really represent Atlantic Sea Salt. On the Nose it's practically AWOL and on the Palate and in the Finish it reminds me of Cured Bacon or Salami rather than Sea Salt. This Malt also contains very young and immature Whisky and it shows little of the Smoky and Peaty Islay components, even for a Bowmore. All this doesn't make the Vault Edition # 1 a bad Single Malt. Certainly not. But it does lack Depth, Complexity and Balance, characteristics you would expect to find in a Single Malt that costs at least 120 US Dollars. You can do better Bowmore!       

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 24, 2017

Visit May 2017

Springbank 37 Years (Chieftain's) Review


“Liquid Oak”

Whisky Review # 634

Country: Scotland
Region: Campbeltown
Brand: Springbank
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 37 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Most likely Bourbon casks.
Chill Filtration: No  
Price Range: 950-1000 US Dollars for similar bottlings. (August 2017)
Buying Advice: 😐Neutral. Nice Malt. Very Expensive. Lots of Oak.

Colour: Dark Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose: I'm quite excited because this Springbank is the oldest Whisky I have tasted so far and probably also the most expensive. Be sure to give it sufficient air time in the glass. Okay, here we go! The first thing I notice is the Oak. I have no idea whatsoever in what type of casks this Springbank matured but based on the Colour and the Aromas I'm pretty sure they were Bourbon casks. The Oak is very present and one can argue that the Malt could - and perhaps should have been bottled a few years earlier. Together with the Oak arrive some Varnish, Tobacco and Old Leather aromas. Dusty Books overlooked for years in a slightly damp cellar. The second wave of Aromas can best be described as a Tropical Fruit salad served with Fresh Cream, Honey and a warm Vanilla sauce. I recognise Papaya, Melon, Apple, Pear, Banana, Mango, Peach and Kiwi. You can spend an hour on the Nose and that's exactly what I did. Every five minutes or so a new Aroma pops up. You must find your way around the ever present Oak though. I also find Buttered Toast, Toasted Grain, Caramel, Toffee, Coffee flavoured Dark Chocolate, Dirt Road, Wax, Orange Peel, Floral Soap, light Spices like Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon and the faintest whiff of Smoke. It's a full and rich Nose and there's a lot to discover. I miss balance though as the Oak is too overwhelming.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Bitter-Sweet, slightly Sour, Mineral and Spicy with Toasted Barley, Toast and Orange Marmalade, Honey, Vanilla, Lemon and Grapefruit Juice, Varnish, Charred Oak, Floral Soap, Herbal Tea, Wet Cardboard, Orange Peel, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Tobacco, Wax, faint Smoke, Dirt Road and Menthol. I miss the tropical Fruits from the Nose!  

Finish: Quite Long and Spicy! Sweet at first but with a little Bitterness towards  the very dry end. Charred Oak and Varnish flavours remain in your throat for quite some time actually. I also find Red Wine, Tannins, Orange Liqueur, Wax, Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Dirt Road, Lemon/Grapefruit Juice, Ginger, Pepper, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Floral Soap and Menthol. The dryness makes you eager to have another sip!  

Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and the Wood retreats somewhat and makes place for Fruit and Malt. The Finish becomes quite Short and lifeless though. I have read all recent articles that state that Water usually improves Whisky but I am one of those Rebels that doesn't necessarily agree with that. You might pick up a couple of extra aromas and flavours but you also change the character of the Spirit. If you really like Fruit liqueurs, by all means add Water to your Whisky. Personally I almost always prefer the original character of the Spirit unless we are talking about a Cask Strength Whisky with a very high ABV. And still...! It just proves that the way you prefer to drink your Whisky is very personal.   

Rating: 88

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22

Similar Bottle!

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery, The Bottler and Today's Whisky:

The Springbank distillery was founded in 1828 in Campbeltown and is owned by the Mitchell family since 1837. In the past, Campbeltown was home to over 30 distilleries but only Springbank and Glen Scotia have survived. The Springbank distillery produces three whiskies. The lightly peated Springbank that is distilled two and a half times, the heavily peated Longrow that is distilled twice and the unpeated Hazelburn that is distilled three times. Springbank is a very traditional  distillery and the whole Whisky making process is done at their premises. That includes malting 100% of the Barley. Because of this, Springbank became a sort of cult distillery with many loyal fans. Prices increased accordingly during the last 10 years. We visited the distillery in May this year and absolutely loved it! It's like going back in time. I can fully recommend a visit!

Ian Macleod and Co. Ltd, Broxburn, Scotland was founded in 1833 by Leonard J. Russell Senior and has remained in the Russell family ever since. The current managing director is Leonard Russell. During the years the company bought a number of Whisky, Rum and Gin brands and started a bottling operation in a joint-venture with J & G Grant. The name changed to Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd with the acquisition of the Glengoyne distillery in 2003. In 2011, the company also bought the Tamdhu distillery.

A number of Springbank 37 Years were released in the Ian Macleod's Chieftain's series in the period 2005-2008. They were bottled with ABV's ranging from 40% to Cask Strength. The miniature I'm tasting today was bottled at 46%. It does not carry any information but based on the above it must have been distilled in the late 1960's or early 1970's.

Visit May 2017
🍷  The Spirit 

Springbank operates 1 Wash still and a pair of Spirit stills. Their Lyne arms are slightly pointing downwards and produce a medium-bodied, Sweet, Spicy and Oily spirit. The water is sourced from the Crosshills Loch.

Visit May 2017

🌲  The Wood:

The distillery uses lots of Ex-Sherry casks for their Springbank expression but in this case I believe that the Chieftain's 37 Years matured in a mix of first-fill and second-fill Bourbon casks.

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion

Was I expecting too much? Probably. It's of course not every day that you try a Single Malt that was distilled when you were around 18 years of age. Thirty-Seven years is a long time in a cask however, even for the strong and Oily Springbank Spirit. Too long in my opinion. The Wood simply overwhelms the other Aromas and Flavours of which there are enough to be found when Nosing and Tasting this Springbank. As a result, the Springbank 37 Y is a nice Single Malt but it misses balance. The nice Fruit on the Nose never gets a chance on the Palate and in the Finish. I am also a bit puzzled by the ABV of 46%. Let's assume the Spirit entered the cask with 70% although it's usually around 63%. The Angel's Share amounts to roughly 2% per year. Even if we only consider 1% per year, we would end up with an ABV of 33%. So either the Spirit entered the cask with a considerable higher ABV or the Angel's Share was quite a bit lower than 2% per year. Anybody that can shine a light on this matter is kindly requested to leave a comment. Considering all the above I was slightly disappointed by this 37 year old Springbank. I really like the Fruit on the Nose despite the Oak but on the Palate and in the Finish that same Oak is really overwhelming. I was fortunate to have bought this miniature in The Netherlands in 2014 as part of a small Ian Macleod introduction set. Because I would never spend a 1000 US Dollars or so on a bottle of whisky. Not even on a 37 Year old!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 21, 2017

Visit May 2017

Scapa Skiren Review


“No Substitute for the 16 Years” 

Whisky Review # 633

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Orkney
Brand: Scapa Skiren - Batch SK01
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Bourbon Casks 
Chill Filtration: Yes  
Price Range: US$ 60-70 (August 2017) 
Buying Advice: 😒 Negative. Let's wait for the return of the 16 Years! 

Colour: Golden(Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: The first very clear impression is of Malt Biscuits. I found something quite similar in the Cardhu 12 Years. Barley Juice I called it on that occasion. There is also a quite clear note of New Oak that I regularly encounter in West-European mainland Malts. After a while I also get Buttered Toast, Wax, Heather-Honey, Toffee, Straw, Butterscotch, Green Apples, Apricot Marmalade, Toasted Salted Almonds, Citrus Peel, White Wine and Fresh Herbs. The Alcohol remains in the background. On the Nose, the Skiren is not bad but a bit dull and lifeless. 

Palate: The delivery is a little Thin due to the low ABV. It remains Malty and Waxy with Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Almonds, Heather-Honey, Apple, Pear, Lemon-Peel, light Pepper, Cinnamon, Salt, Cloves, Dusty Road, Sour Grapes, Resin and hints of Milk Chocolate and Sweet Artificially Flavoured Banana Ice-Cream.       

Finish: Bitter-Sweet, Middle-Long, a little Edgy and with a light Metallic off-note right at the end. It stays Malty and Creamy with Puff Pastry filled with Apples, Butterscotch, Toffee and Malt Biscuits. I also find Caramel, Toasted Almonds, Vanilla, Citrus Peel, Heather-Honey, Wax, Cinnamon, light Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Salt and Cocoa Butter.  

Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and the Skiren turns into a Malt flavoured Floral Perfume. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 81.5           

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5


General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The Distillery was founded in 1885 by John Townsend and his business partner MacFarlane in St. Ola, close to Kirkwall on Orkney. It was mothballed a couple of times over the years but since it was bought by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) in 2005 things started to improve. A large part of the production disappears in Blends like Chivas Regal and Ballentine's. Scapa did appear on the Single Malt map though in 2008 when the 16 Years was launched. This Malt became quite popular but unfortunately it has been discontinued in 2015 and replaced by the Skiren I'm reviewing today. You can still buy a 16 Year old Scapa named Jutland at the distillery. Scapa derives from the old Norse word Scalp that means boat. It currently produces around 1 million liters per year. 

The Skiren (Norse for Glittering Bright Skies) was launched in 2015, the same year the distillery opened for visitors.

Picture Credit: Tjederswhisky

🍷  The Spirit 

Scapa only operates one pair of stills. The Wash still is one of only two surviving Lomond stills. The Lyne arm of the Spirit still points slightly upwards at first and produces a rather light, Floral and Grassy spirit. The water is sourced from the Lingro Burn.

Picture Credit: Richard Thomas

🌲  The Wood:

The Skiren matures in First Fill American Oak Bourbon/Whiskey casks purchased in the US states of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Drinking Experience: Average and Disappointing. 

Conclusion

Apparently, the Skiren is one of those Single Malts born out of necessity rather than free will. Dwindling stocks and increased demand must have lead Scapa to discontinue the 16 Years and replace it with the Skiren. And while the price of the Skiren is almost identical to the old 16 Years, it can not compete with the latter in terms of Aromas, Flavours and overall quality. There is an artificial feel to the Skiren and the Metallic off-note in the Finish is slightly off-putting. I fully understand the necessity of distilleries to cope with decreasing stocks. I do not agree however when younger, rather immature Malts like the Skiren are released as a replacement at the approximate same price. Despite the fancy name and the nice presentation and packaging. I really can't recommend the Skiren at this price level and I anxiously await the return of the 16 Years!     

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 17, 2017