When whisky drinkers think of Campbeltown, they might think of the Springbank distillery before thinking of the Old Scotia. But the Glen Scotia distillery has left its mark on the whisky production industry. The Victoriana whisky at Glen Scotia is no less distinctive than its maker.
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| Victoriana Whisky At Glen Scotia: An Exceptional Treat [image: pexels by anastasia zhenina] |
The Victoriana has made a name for itself by finishing the whisky received. The whisky ages in ex-bourbon casks. After this, the whisky is then divided into different parts. First, 30% of the whisky goes into ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. Then the distiller will pour 70% of the whisky into a heavily charred American oak.
After this process, the whisky is then married together for a short settling period. This is right before the whisky is bottled at cask strength. Additionally, the whisky keeps its natural color, giving it a delicious look when it’s in a glass.
About Victoriana Whisky
The Glen Scotia Victoriana has been called “a true Campbeltown whisky.” The Victorian era inspired the whisky, and it has a cask-strength single malt.
Iain McAllister is the master distiller for Glen Scotia. He spends his time hand choosing casks from their reserve cellars. McAllister selects casks based on their exceptional maturity, rare characteristics, and the flavors they will give to the Victoriana.
The Victoriana whisky has a unique and mature finish with deeply charred oak. The whisky is a surprisingly smooth single malt whisky. The scent and the flavor profile of the Victoriana work together flawlessly.
The Glen Scotia Victoria has been bottled traditionally. There is no filtration process when the whisky is transferred from cask to bottle.
Tasting Notes
The whisky has faint vanilla, and wood flavor brought out by the mild smoky aftertaste and spicy, fruity aroma.
Nose
This whisky has an elegant nose and hints of oak that spurs the bouquet. There are also unique hints of creme brulee and melted sugar. These hints give a taste of caramelized fruits, citrus peels, and polished oak.
Taste
This whisky has a sweet taste that will begin with a jam-like blackcurrant fruit taste. The whisky has a powerful mid-palate, and it tightens when it comes to the back palate.
The Victoriana has a bitter taste when it’s drunk with water. Aside from this, the whisky has the sweet taste of sherry.
The Finish
At first, the finish is sweet and clean. There are characteristics of green beans with cocoa similar to dark chocolate. There is a soft smokey finish, thanks to the richly charred oak.
Whisky drinking royals
The British royal family has a long history of enjoying whisky. From Queen Victoria to Prince Charles and finally Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge.
Queen Victoria
When most people think of Queen Victoria, they probably think about a plump stern-looking woman dressed in a black corseted gown. You’d be surprised to learn that the monarch enjoyed a wee dram of whisky as much as she might have enjoyed a cup of tea.
According to the Daily Mail, Queen Victoria enjoyed a mix of malt whisky and claret. Most people in that time found this mixture disgusting, but it was still one of her favorite alcoholic beverages.
The late queen found also enjoyed drinking beer. It is believed that she drank about eight pints of beer per day.
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II is another member of the British Royal Family who loves Scotch whisky. According to a Forbes article, The Famous Grouse received a Royal Warrant from Queen Elizabeth II in 1984.
Prince Charles
According to an article in the DailyMeal, the Prince of Wales has a taste for Laphroaig malt. The prince even sells a special Highgrove edition of the whisky from Islay from his Gloucestershire estate shop.
In October 2021, the Evening Standard reported that the Prince of Wales had poured a wee drop of whisky into his tea during a visit to a kilt shop in Aberdeenshire.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
According to the Telegraph, the Duchess of Cambridge reportedly enjoys drinking Jack Daniels. However, it seems to be a tough choice between Jack Daniels and a cocktail mix of passion-fruit juice, champagne and vodka.
In 2014, Hello Magazine reported that the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William visited the Famous Grouse Distillery during a trip to Scotland. The Duchess chose to drink the Snow Goose, which she described as “very nice.”
About Glen Scotia Distillery
The Stewart & Galbraith Co. founded the Glen Scotia Distillery in 1832. The company ran the distillery for more than 60 years. The distillery is located in Campbeltown and has been affectionately referred to as the “Old Scotia” by locals.
Campbeltown is considered the Victorian Whisky Capital of the World. It’s also one of the top five recognized regions producing whiskey in Scotland. The town is sometimes affectionately called the “Wee Toon.”
During the 1800s
The distillery hit its peak during the 1800s. Glen Scotia had more than 20 distilleries in Campbeltown and about 170 distilleries operating all over the United Kingdom. A majority of these distilleries were in Scotland.
Today, Campbeltown still has three operating distilleries, including Glen Scotia, Glengyle, and Springbank. Along with these other distilleries, Glen Scotia provides an insight into the history of making whiskey in Scotland.
In 1891, well-known industrialist Duncan MacCallum bought the distillery. He built extensive Malting Floors that go along high Street. In 933, the Bloch Brothers purchased the distillery from the trustees of the late industrialist.
Post-WWII
The Second World War led to the distillery temporarily stopping producing whisky. However, when the war ended in 1945, the distillery once again started producing whisky.
In 1954, Hiram Walker and Sons of Dumbarton took over Bloch Brothers. Then in 1955, A. Gilles took ownership of the distillery. During the 1970s, A. Gilles merged with three other companies to create the Amalgamated Distilled Products (ADP).
Then during the late 80s, a former group marketing director for the ADP led a buyout for a portion of the company. This buyout included the sale of the Glen Scotia Distillery, which functioned as Gibson International.
Brand development from 2014
Nearly 30 years later, the Loch Lomond Group purchased the distillery in 2014. The group had previously spent a lot of time and effort investing in the distillery.
The group had spent time developing the Glen Scotia distillery and the distillery visitors center, opening warehouses and increasing the distillery’s production capacity.
Even though the Old Scotia has changed hands plenty of times over nearly 200 years, the distillery still has some of its original design. Part of the original design includes the dunnage warehouse, the mash tun, and the stillroom.
Today there are only eight employees that keep the distillery working. These employees include a single distillery manager, an assistant distillery manager, five distillery operators, and a visitor center manager.
The distillery provides daily tours and tastings that are open to the public. Visitors can also purchase goods and even branded merchandise from their Victorian-themed shop.
Final thoughts Glen Scotia Victoriana
The Victoriana whiskey at Glen Scotia is unique as the distillery that produces the beverage. The whisky has a bourbon-like taste that will entice many bourbon drinkers.
The Victoriana also seems to have a taste of Campbeltown in the whisky, but it’s not as prominent as the typical Springbank whisky. The Victoriana has a lovely balance between smokey, earthy, and fruity notes. It’s worth having a wee dram of the Victoriana whisky at Glen Scotia.
References:
https://www.drinkhacker.com/2020/12/09/review-glen-scotia-victoriana/
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