
November 26, 2018

Perhaps a few Scapa

We're trying Highland Park very often (WF's counter reads +/-450 tasting notes) but Scapa's much more sporadic, I would say. Time to remedy the situation...

Scapa 2005/2017 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, distillery label)

Still the older livery, and of course some are getting a bit nostalgic. Not us. Colour: straw. Nose: very fresh, on green fruits. Mostly gooseberries and kiwis, I would say, with touches of soot and coal smoke in the background, as well as a little lime. You could make a Scottish margarita out of this one. Mouth: same kind of combo, plus more vanilla. Kiwis, smoke, gooseberries, rhubarb, lime, a touch of salt... Indeed this Scapa's rather saltier than others. Finish: medium, rather more peppery this time. White pepper, a touch of leather. Comments: really fresh and good, with good coastal character. Got to love the old ship label.
SGP:552 - 84 points.

Scapa 2005/2017 (45%, Gordon & MacPhail for LMDW 60th Anniversary, barrel, cask #438, 336 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: a slightly smokier batch, more mineral as well, and more medicinal to boot. We're even closer to the Atlantic, in short. Kiwis are there too, as well as rhubarb. An adorable freshness, with even touches of waxes coming through. Acacia gum. Mouth: really a bolder and fresher expression, even if we're very close to the large batch, obviously. Lime peel, green melons, brine, hoppy pils, pine sap and just a touch of fresh coriander. Finish: medium, very fresh, coastal. You could make an even better Scottish margarita out of this one. More pepper again in the aftertaste. Comments: fresh!
SGP:552 - 86 points.

Scapa 23 yo 1992/2015 (58.4%, OB, Chivas Bros, Distillery Reserve Collection, butt, cask #1069, 780 bottles)

Some robust, almost tart whiskies in this understated official series. Pernod's Rare Malts, if you will. Colour: gold. Nose: well, I was wrong, this is all fruits and syrups at first nosing, and despite the higher strength. A fruit salad with fresh melons and pears, tinned pineapples, green apples, and only then a tartier development, on concentrated lemon juice and green malt. With water: varnish, wine vinegar, green apples. It got narrower and greener indeed, but without the coastal side that was in the G&Ms. Mouth (neat): very strong, starting with a little glue and vinegar (no worries, just touches), getting then a little marshmallowy, with an acrid oak in the background. Very sharp. With water: yes, that worked this time. Sour apples, vanilla, acacia honey, hawthorn tea, melon skin, lime. Finish: long, very vertical, on lime and green tea. Comments: not a very easy one this time, it's been quite some work. Sharp style, less smoky.
SGP:461 - 83 points.

Scapa 30 yo 1988/2018 (53.8%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, refill bourbon barrel, cask #10585, 148 bottles)

Scapa 30 yo 1988/2018 (53.8%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, refill bourbon barrel, cask #10585, 148 bottles)
This one's brand new. As I understand it, as soon as a malt's 30 or more, it now goes into some kind of ueber-Connoisseurs Choice category, with wooden boxes and all that. Colour: gold. Nose: this one's really very leafy for a few seconds, more so than the OB, but it gets then frankly rounder, more honeyed, cakier, and rather more mentholy. Whiffs of Vicks Vapo Rub - some Vicks that some mad scientist would have aged in active oak. With water: leaves and moss, some sour wood. Mouth (neat): it's rather oak-driven and that would be mentholated oak, should that exist. Green tea, eucalyptus, lime, fruit skins, fresh walnuts, manzanilla, a wee drop of mustard... Indeed all this is very dry and green, which I certainly enjoy. With water: similar. Lovely grassy bitterness, most fresh and tense. Not a lot of salt this time. Finish: long, on more leaves and green spices, pepper, cardamom, green curry, aniseed, fennel, lime... Marzipan in the aftertaste. Comments: this one's excellent. I've even considered trying it as a highball, I'm sure that would work just as well as with Port Ellen ;-).
SGP:461 - 87 points.

Why not a much older one?

Scapa 1958/1985 (46%, Samaroli, 180 bottles)

Scapa 1958/1985 (46%, Samaroli, 180 bottles)
Angus, that little bugger, managed to jump my queue with this one, so to speak. Apparently, he just adored it back in August this year (WF 95!). Colour: gold. Nose: yes, sure, it's hard to beat such a perfect composition. Wonderful whiffs of moss after a rain, old herbal liqueurs, pine cones, old tools, leather polish, copper coins, a grassy and oily smoke (burning seaweed, I would guess), waxed fabric somewhere on an old ship, old unguents, beeswax... In short, a perfect style. Mouth: game, set and match. Extraordinary herbal and pine-y notes, more ointments, dried porcinis, billionaire's cough syrup (I'd wager), angelica, dill and fennel, crystallised citrus, snuff, a drop of olive brine... Oh we could go on and on and on. Marvellous whisky, one of the best there ever was, I would say. The earthiness is just flabbergasting. Finish: long, amazing. Lemon, mint, olives, herbs, honeydew and propolis, very old Chartreuse without all the sugar... Comments: this is simply divine. But you see, I like to argue, so...
SGP:562 - 94 points. Indeed, probably the best Scapa ever.

Check the index of all Scapa we've tasted so far