Although there are only three distilleries in
Campbeltown, a treasure trove of great whisky can be found. This is the
top 10 best whiskies from Campbeltown.
To compile this top 10 we looked at other top 10 lists of Campbeltown's whiskies. We looked at Whiskybase, Broekmans, Whisky-Online, Connosr and The Whisky Exchange. Based on the whiskies listed in their overviews we've created a new top 10 list featuring the 10 best whiskies from Campbeltown.
Glen Scotia Victoriana
We kick off this top 10 list of the best whiskies from Campbeltown with a
Glen Scotia expression. The
Glen Scotia Victoriana is a single malt whisky that's blended with whisky from the distillery's reserve cellar.
Each cask is selected for the unique character of the liquid that adds its own twist to the whole. The blend is finished in dearly roasted oak casks to arrive at a smooth and harmonious expression.
These are the tasting notes:
- Nose: Elegant with notes of oak, crème brûlée and caramelized fruit.
- Palate: Sweet with notes of blackberries, vanilla, and spices.
- Finish: Roasted sugar, blackberries and dark chocolate.
Kilkerran 12 Year Old
From the Glengyle Distillery comes the Kilkerran whisky. This single malt can be found in different ages like the 12-year-old expression. This whisky is matured in both bourbon and sherry casks, yielding a rich and aromatic flavor profile.
These are the tasting notes for the Kilkerran 12 Year Old:
- Nose: Rich notes of wood, marshmallows, dried fruit, marzipan, and peat.
- Palate: Fresh with notes of fruit and bitter undertones. Also, notes of honey, butterscotch, and malty grain biscuits.
- Finish: Smooth and fresh with a hint of salt.
Glen Scotia 18 Year Old
We return to the Glen Scotia Distillery for an older expression. The 18-year-old from this distillery is also one of the top 10 best Campbeltown whiskies.
The expression is a great example of an older expression from the distillery. This expression matured in American oak refill bourbon casks and then had a one-year finish in Oloroso casks.
The flavor of the single malt has become delightfully full and rounded:
- Nose: Notes of citrus and vanilla with a hint of wood spices.
- Palate: Lime and grapefruit combined with ginger, cinnamon, peach, and maple syrup.
- Finish: Balanced with notes of pecan nuts and toffee.
Springbank 10 Year Old
One of the most iconic Scottish distilleries is Springbank. It's no wonder that this whisky maker also features in the list of the 10 best whiskies from Campbeltown. The first expression of the brand in this list is the 10-year-old single malt.
The spirit matured in bourbon and sherry casks and was then bottled at 46 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Here are the tasting notes:
- Nose: Notes of minerals, salt, and resin, followed by bittersweet oranges.
- Palate: Oily notes with a lot of peat, pepper, salt, and the aromas of lime and oranges.
- Finish: Long, peaty with a bit of lime and pepper.
Glen Scotia Double Cask
The next whisky reveals its maturation through its name. It's a whisky that has gone through a double maturation. Initially, the spirit has matured in first-fill bourbon casks, followed by another twelve months of maturation in Pedro Ximénez casks.
The drink has thereby gained a balanced flavor profile that sways between spicy and fruity. Here are the tasting notes:
- Nose: notes of caramel, toffee, apples, and peaches with a salty undertone.
- Palate: Richly spiced with notes of fruit, toffee, and fudge.
- Finish: Medium length with notes of vanilla and soft spices.
Longrow Peated
Not only does the Springbank Distillery produce the eponymous whisky, but it's also the birthplace of Longrow. For peat enthusiasts, this is a whisky that must be tried.
It is imbued with a heavy smoky character that transports you directly to Victorian times. Here are the tasting notes:
- Nose: Extremely creamy with notes of vanilla custard, developing smoke with toasted marshmallows, spices, and fruit.
- Palate: Rich and creamy with a slight medicinal tone and a constant presence of smoke.
- Finish: Lingering with smoky notes.
Kilkerran 8 Year Old Cask Strength Oloroso
At 56.9 percent alcohol, the next expression in this Top 10 Whiskies from Campbeltown has a hefty punch. The whisky has aged in sherry casks until it was extracted at the ripe old age of eight. As a result, the spirit has acquired a dark amber colour and the following tasting notes:
- Nose: Sweet tones of vanilla with coffee beans and marmalade, spices and a hint of smoke.
- Palate: Dark fruit, followed by raspberries, apple, powdered sugar, dark chocolate, and delicate notes of smoke and brine.
- Finish: A lingering combination of smoke and peat.
Glen Scotia 21 Year Old
The oldest whisky on this list comes from the Glen Scotia Distillery. This 21-year-old single malt whisky has matured in a mix of refill bourbon barrels, and then rested for another six months in first-fill sherry barrels.
This process has produced a smooth, complex, and aromatic whisky with a golden-yellow color. You can expect these flavor notes:
- Nose: Sweet tones of Oloroso sherry, red apple, and salty notes.
- Palate: Baked red apple, raisins, anise, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, and caramel.
- Finish: Long with notes of salt and dry sherry.
Hazelburn 10 Year Old
The third whisky brand produced at the Springbank Distillery is Hazelburn. The whiskies bottled under this brand are unpeated and somewhat sweet in nature. In this list of the best Campbeltown whiskies, we encounter the 10-year-old expression.
The spirit has spent the entire aging process in ex-bourbon barrels before being bottled at 46 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). The tasting notes are as follows:
- Nose: Sweet and tropical fruit with baked pineapple, lemon sorbet, honeycomb, and dried orange peel.
- Palate: Sweet and rich with notes of green apple, pastel de nata, and custard.
- Finish: A subtle earthy tone with salted caramel, toasted coconut, and mineral notes.
Campbeltown Loch
We conclude this list of the Top 10 Whiskies from Campbeltown with a blend. It is a blend that includes beverages from all the active distilleries in the whisky region. Hence, you'll taste all of Campbeltown in your glass from Glen Scotia to Glengyle.
The expression has the following tasting notes:
- Nose: Rounded with notes of apple and peach, lemon peel and floral honey, minerals and wet chalk.
- Palate: Oily with notes of minerals, chalk, a bitter edge and grassy undertones. Afterward, dusty with notes of grain, white pepper, mint, wet limestone, and heather-like peat.
- Finish: Long with minerals and a light metallic note.
Now that we’ve shown you the complete list we would like to emphasize that taste is personal. If you find a whisky other than the ten whiskies on this list to be more to your liking, that's perfectly fine.
Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.