Is this the year of white port finishes in Scotland or is it just the year in which I’ve noticed them. Or is it the year of white port finishes in special releases? In October I reviewed the 2023 Cairdeas release from Laphroaig which sees a third of the vatting finished in white port casks. The Talisker in Diageo’s 2023 Special Release was also partly finished in white port casks. And here now is Glen Scotia’s release for the 2023 Campbeltown Malts Festival, which was also a white port cask finish (I’ve previously reviewed the 2020 Festival release, which had a tawny port finish). Unlike the Cairdeas, this one bears an age statement: it’s 11 years old (no vintage statement though, I don’t think). I’m guessing the base spirit was matured in a mix of bourbon casks prior to receiving the finish (for how long, I have no idea). As per Whiskybase, there were 24,000 bottles in the release—I assume these weren’t available only at the festival. The base spirit was distilled from lightly peated malt. Well, I quite liked the marriage of white port (and madeira) with Laphroaig’s heavier peat. Let’s see what I make of this one. Oh yes, this week’s whisky reviews will all be of Glen Scotia’s Campbeltown Malts Festival releases.

Glen Scotia 11, Campbeltown Malts Festival 2023 (54.7%; white port finish; from a bottle split)

Nose: Very lightly peated indeed. The peat is of the hot stones variety and is topped by rather sweet grapey notes. On the second sniff there’s more orchard fruit: peach, a touch of apricot. Some vanilla and creme brulee in there too now. A few drops of water and there’s more lighly smoked creme brulee and less of the sweeter fruit.

Palate: More smoke here and it’s mixed nicely with the sweeter notes. Quite approachable at full strength; decent texture. The smoke is more peppery on the second sip and there’s some cardboard and some charred rope as well. The salt pops out earlier as it sits and then it gets sweeter (a bit too sweet for my liking). Okay, let’s see what water does for it. Water pushes the sweetness back here as well and integrates the whole quite nicely. There’s just the faintest hint of talcum powder.

Finish: Long. The smoke crests with more char. Gets saltier here with time. As on the palate with water, with much less char now.

Comments: This is a very pleasant whisky. A bit too sweet at first and, on the whole, I preferred it with water.

Rating: 85 points.