Glen Scotia 15-Years-Old Classic Campbeltown Malt Review (2025)

 

There was a time in Scotland when Campbeltown whisky was everywhere. There were over thirty distilleries in this region during its heyday, earning it the title of the Capital of the Whisky World. What changed? Some of it wasn’t particularly good for various reasons, plus an oversaturation of the market and that nasty word - Prohibition.

 

In 2010, only two remained:  Springbank and Glen Scotia. A third, Glen Gyle (owned by Springbank), has since reopened.

 

Today, I’m examining Glen Scotia, founded in 1832 by Stewart, Galbraith, and Company, a family-owned business. They retained ownership until 1891, when Duncan MacCallum purchased it. MacCallum added huge malting floors to the distillery. In 1933, MacCallum’s estate sold the distillery to Bloch Brothers, and it remained open until 1942. In 1945, it reopened as World War II ended, and in 1954, the distillery was acquired by Hiram Walker. A year later, A. Giles purchased it, and then, in 1970, it became part of Amalgamated Distilling Products (ADP). In 1987, some of ADP’s managing partners, Gibson International, purchased the Glen Scotia. Finally, in 2014, the Loch Lomond Group purchased the distillery and continues to own it to this day.

 

Glen Scotia still uses the original mash tun, still room, and dunnage warehouse. It no longer malts its barley but buys it to its exacting standards. Its master distiller and distillery manager has been Iain McAlister for the last dozen years.

 

My review today will explore Glen Scotia 15 Classic Campbeltown Malt. It is, as all single malts are, made from 100% malted barley with water sourced from Crosshill Loch.

 

“Campbeltown’s prevailing spirit, Glen Scotia has a long-standing relationship with Bourbon and American Oak casks. This traditional choice of wood complements the whisky’s slow fermentation and small batch process, delivering underlying balanced fruit character, sweet toffee and background spice. A final, very short finish in Oloroso Sherry Casks for this release, allows all those classic regional traits to shine through.” – Glen Scotia

 

I’ve had very positive experiences with whiskies from this distillery. As such, I’m grateful to Glen Scotia for providing me with a sample of Glen Scotia 15 in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and explore how this one fares.

 

• Whisky Type: Single Malt Scotch
• Region: Campbeltown
• Distiller: Glen Scotia
• Age: 15 years
• Mashbill: 100% malted barley
• Cooperage: 1^st fill ex-Bourbon barrels, then Oloroso Sherry casks
• Alcohol Content: 46% ABV (92°)
• Price per 750mL: $119.99
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: I opted for a Glencairn glass and poured this whisky neat. In my glass, it appeared similar to the color of apple juice. A medium rim produced widely spaced, slow, medium-thick tears.

 

Nose: After waiting about 15 minutes, I brought the glass beneath my nose and began sniffing. I discerned notes of apples, pears, apricots, ocean air, toffee, and muted oak. When I drew the air into my mouth, I discovered grilled pineapples.

 

Palate: Glen Scotia 15’s texture was thick and oily, leaving a coating on my tongue after I swallowed. I tasted raw honey, caramel, and mild brine on the front of my palate. Midway through, there were honey-roasted almonds, grilled pineapples, and pears. The back featured candied ginger, oak tannins, and dry leather.

 

Finish: What began as a somewhat soft experience slowly transformed into something spicier, especially with the ginger component, which drowned out the honey, nuts, and most of the fruits. Only the grilled pineapples put up a fight. The finish was drying, left a mild briny sensation, and lasted 1:31.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Whereas you can have some crossover with whiskies from the Speyside and Highland, or Highland and Islay regions, Campbeltown is pretty much part of its own universe. I understand why it was so popular before the Prohibition era. I don’t know why the region remains so sparse.

 

Glen Scotia 15 offers a lot of depth, some of which requires patience. It is not a whisky to slam; it requires a relaxed sipping session to understand everything that’s happening. Some flavors are subtle and, if you’re not paying attention, could be overlooked.

 

Frankly, I love it when a whisky makes me slow down and think. Yeah, I do that all the time as a reviewer, but when I’m casually sipping alone or with friends, it is easy to forget to enjoy the moment.

 

As I stated at the end of the introduction, Glen Scotia has provided me with positive experiences. The 15-year expression is no different. If you’re like me and enjoy taking your time with a pour, you’ll want to grab a Bottle. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.