Skip to playerSkip to main content
Join Scotsman food and drink editor Rosalind Erskine as she sits down with Iain McAlister, the distillery manager of Glen Scotia, to explore their latest whisky offering. Discover the intricate details of the whisky-making process and the unique characteristics that define this new expression.

Gain insights into the passion and expertise that go into crafting exceptional Scotch whisky at Glen Scotia. Explore the flavors, aromas, and the dedication to tradition that makes this distillery a standout.

#ScotchWhisky #GlenScotia #WhiskyTasting
Transcript
00:00I am now joined by Ian McAllister who's the distillery manager and master distiller at
00:06Glen Scotia down in Campbelltown. Hi Ian, how are you? I'm well, I'm very well. Good to see you
00:11again. I hope you're well. You too. Yeah, good. I'm good. Thank you. Enjoying the sunshine. I was
00:15talking about that before the call. So we are just here to have a little chat and tasting of
00:22your new Glen Scotia 12 year old. So for anyone that doesn't know or hasn't seen, could you just
00:27give me a little sort of update on this new whiskey and like how it came about? And I know that it's
00:33in some lovely packaging on the box here. So maybe we can talk about that as well.
00:37Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's, you know, I guess it's something that's been, it's been needed,
00:43you know, part of the core range, Glen Scotia, obviously, the, you know, the double cast 15
00:49Victoriana, you know, skews like that are always been, you know, fun favorites. So it's lovely to
00:55see something that's obviously really highlights the, you know, the, the pure distillery form,
01:02if you like, you know, and Glen Scotia and bourbon casks works incredibly well, Roslyn. So,
01:10yeah, so, you know, the Glen Scotia 12 year old, this is, you know, it's just absolutely something
01:17that's, it's been needed for a long time. And I'm so pleased it's here now. So yeah, wonderful,
01:22wonderful whiskey. And this goes, so it's going to be part of the core range. So no one has to
01:27worry about it being a limited edition, like once it's out, that's it forever.
01:30Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. You know, it's, it's, as I say, it's, it's, you know, it's something
01:37that's going to be, I think, a fun favorite, you know, 46% natural color, non chilled filtration.
01:43And as you said, you know, the, the, the, the packaging, you know, obviously, the blue highlights,
01:51the, the, the, the distillery, the doors, the Dunnage warehouse doors, in fact, all the doors really,
01:58Glen Scotia are that color, and the white is obviously, guess what, the distillery itself. So,
02:04yeah, it's, it really is, you know, and it's always been a special for anyone that knows me,
02:11you know, is that, you know, I'm a, I'm a Glen Scotia bourbon fan, you know, I love the,
02:18the, the simplicity of it. But, you know, I think it works well, so many different levels. So,
02:24you know, it's something I think, everyone will enjoy.
02:27Yeah, and would you want to, will we have a little taste? I know we're talking about off the call,
02:33how it's quite early in the morning right now. But, you know, it's five o'clock somewhere.
02:38Absolutely. That's a tough job and someone's got to do it. So, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, you know,
02:44obviously, the, you know, the whiskey itself, as I say, you know, 100% first filled bourbon,
02:50what's not like about that? You know, the color, wonderful, you know, that depth you would
02:57get from the bourbon casks. It's got the oily overtones to it. When you look at it, you know,
03:03that coastal maritime influences there, you know, there's a certain amount of, obviously,
03:10depth and complexity to the, the liquid itself. Yeah, you knows it. And I've, I've not got any water,
03:19you know, it's 46%. So, yeah, we're, we're good. We're good to go. Wonderful. You know,
03:26the fruit aspect is incredible. You know, you get citrus, the real depth to it,
03:33subtle background salinity there too, you know, there's just, it's just that, that coastal effect,
03:39you know, really amazing. And the, the nose there, beautiful, there really is. Even hint of the,
03:47you know, the apples and pears that you get off the Glen Scotia distillate there, which
03:51is always an incredible flavor, you know, of the wash cells. Beautiful. So we'll give it a try. Cheers.
04:05Cheers. Yeah, it really is. You know, you got a lot of the, the tropical citrus,
04:19tangy citrus, um, pineapple notes there. Um, wonderful mouthful, oily,
04:27and the 46% really makes it accessible. I think to everyone, uh, Rosalind. So, you know, it's,
04:33it's, um, for me, well, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's my favorite, you know,
04:41is obviously Glen Scotia and bourbon. So incredible. Yeah. I was really getting the pineapple,
04:47which in a day like this, like you don't often think of whiskeys, like a somebody drink often,
04:51you know, it's more sort of cozy, but yeah, I could see that in a really nice cocktail or just having
04:55it with some ice on a sunny day. So yeah, it's, it's lovely, really, really quite tropical for me.
05:00Yeah. Yeah. I think, and I think that's a good point. You know, you, you, you can drink it anyway
05:05you want to drink it, you know, there's no right or wrong way to, to obviously drink these whiskeys,
05:11you know, and the fact that it's obviously so accessible and approachable, then it allows you to
05:18obviously, um, you know, to, to do that, you know, so, um, and it is, as I say, you know, because
05:27obviously a lot of the, the Glen Scotia co-range, you know, this is really the base, if you like,
05:32you know, so a lot of the, you know, the Victorianas, the double cast, et cetera, you know,
05:37they all start off and that bourbon, you know, a lot of that's first filled bourbon matured,
05:43uh, liquid if you like, albeit a bit younger, but so you, you're getting that wonderful complexity
05:52from, from the 12 year old as it stands and it's, you know, uh, uh, a presentation that it is at the
06:00moment. So, um, so I think it's really quite, quite interesting. So yeah. Yeah. Lovely. And so we are
06:08talking sort of late summer just now. Um, do you have anything exciting coming up? This is obviously just
06:13launched, which event coming up towards the end of the year, or have you started working on the
06:17festival release for next year? Is there anything that you can tell us?
06:19Yeah. Well, a lot of these are obviously, you know, it's a top secret a lot. What's, what's,
06:28what's coming along? Um, yeah, the deer marketing team, obviously they've, they've, uh, get everyone,
06:35you know, we, we didn't talk, uh, what, what's, you know, what's on the horizon, but yeah, you know,
06:43a lot of it's, it's obviously going to be, uh, it's going to be interesting. It's going to be,
06:48um, you know, in line, what you'd expect from Glen Scotia, you know, that the regionality,
06:53you know, the sense of place, if you like, you know, the, and the use of casks, um,
07:00for finishing or, you know, for maturation is, is, is, um, going to be aligned to that. So,
07:07um, it's, it's, yeah, it's, there's, there's been quite a lot, you know, as I said, came along just
07:14recently with the release of the double clask, um, a red wine finish, now the 12 year old, and then
07:20we'll have the, obviously the icons, which will come along, um, in autumn time. Yes. So, so there's,
07:28there's a wee bit to go and then absolutely before we know it will be me again, and it'll be time for a,
07:33another release. So, so yeah. And, um, Campbelltown itself is kind of quite exciting just now with,
07:41you know, a couple more distilleries coming down the line. So, um, are you sort of looking forward to,
07:47um, them opening and the festival maybe becoming like a wee bit bigger in terms of, you know,
07:51not just the three distilleries that are there just now? Yes. Yes. It's, it's certainly,
07:57you know, I think it's, uh, it's long been, um, it's long been something that's been required,
08:05um, in Campbelltown, you know, as probably New Blood, you know, because obviously,
08:12Glen Scotia, uh, Springbank and, um, uh, Kilcairn, Glen Gile, you know, I think, obviously,
08:19that the, these distilleries have been about for a time in memoriam. So I think it'd be lovely to see
08:26other distilleries here and obviously introduce different, you know, different takes in Campbelltown,
08:32different approaches to making whiskey in Campbelltown. I think that would, that would be a,
08:37you know, would be a, a positive move. Um, yeah, I mean, absolutely. Things have,
08:44have obviously slowed down a little bit. And I think probably for, for everyone, if I'm honest, but,
08:51um, that, that's always going to be a tough one for a distillery, you know, building a distillery is,
08:58it's obviously an expensive outlay. Um, so you really need to be a hundred percent, I guess that
09:06you, you know, you, you've got the sales or you've got the, the, the route to market, I guess. So it's,
09:13yeah, maybe slow things down a little bit, but undoubtedly you'll, you'll see them at a future
09:18point, you know, for sure. It's good, good news. Yeah. Um, and so for anyone that wants to buy and
09:26try the New England Scotia 12 year old, um, it's available now. And do you know, uh, the price? And
09:33Oh, now you've got, you've got me now. Everything else, but the price. Hold on. I'll, I'll be able
09:42to tell you, hold on. It is available. It's 45 pounds and it's through your website and whiskey,
09:49good whiskey shops. Yeah, absolutely. So you, you, you're going to get it, you know, you're going to
09:53get it, um, and all the, all the usual outlets. It might take a little bit of time to filter through,
10:00uh, for, you know, obviously these things usually do, but yeah, it's, I, I'm sure it's going to be
10:07popular. You know, it really is. It's, um, it's something, as I said earlier, you know,
10:13it's something that was needed, I think for a long time. So it's wonderful to see, uh, everyone
10:19getting a chance to appreciate that pure Flint Scotia, uh, characteristics, you know, something
10:26I think is incredible and, and works so well. So say, yeah, you know, the, the fermentation,
10:33everything, you know, distillation, everything that's brought it together really is in harmony.
10:40So say, I hope everyone enjoys it. Yeah. Well, I've certainly enjoyed
10:45it at this time in the morning. So, um, thanks again. And, um, yeah, we'll see you down in Camel
10:49town soon, hopefully. Absolutely. It's always a pleasure. It's always a pleasure. As I say,
10:54you know, so, um, you know, you're always welcome. So yeah, take care and thank you.
11:01Thank you very much. Thank you. Cheers.
Comments

Recommended