Glen Scotia Double Cask Review

Glen Scotia Double Cask: A Modern Campbeltown Malt with One Foot in Tradition

Campbeltown is a whisky region that wears its history heavily. Once the whisky capital of the world, now reduced to a handful of distilleries, it carries an outsized reputation for character, oiliness, and a slightly rugged edge. Glen Scotia Double Cask is often the first bottle people reach for when they want to understand what modern Campbeltown whisky actually tastes like. Note that there are special editions of the Glen Scotia Double Cask available as well, with finishes in Rum and Bordeaux casks, but today we’ll be having a look at the original Glen Scotia Double Cask that saw a second maturation in PX casks!

This isn’t a throwback curiosity or a museum piece. It’s a contemporary single malt that balances tradition with accessibility — and crucially, it’s a Campbeltown whisky you can still find without hunting auctions or emptying your wallet.

Brief History: Glen Scotia & Campbeltown

Glen Scotia was founded in 1832 and is one of only three active distilleries keeping Campbeltown alive today. While the region is famous for bold, industrial-leaning whisky styles, Glen Scotia has always sat on the slightly softer side of that spectrum.

Glen Scotia Double Cask is designed as a bridge between tradition and approachability. Matured first in ex-bourbon casks before finishing in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, it aims to showcase Campbeltown’s maritime, oily character while adding sweetness and structure from the cask work.

Tasting Notes – Glen Scotia Double Cask

Stats

• Age: No Age Statement
• ABV: 46% (92 Proof)
• Distillery: Glen Scotia Distillery
• Region: Campbeltown
• Flavour Profile: Smoke & Storm
• Chill-Filtration: No
• Colouring: No

Nose

Straight away, there’s a sense of place.

Salted caramel, vanilla, and toffee come first, followed by dried fruit — raisins and dates rather than bright sherry notes. Beneath the sweetness sits something distinctly coastal: sea air, damp wood, and a faint mineral note that keeps it grounded.

It smells robust without being heavy.

Palate

This is where Glen Scotia’s character really shows.

Oily mouthfeel up front, carrying flavours of honeyed malt, baked apple, and soft spice. The PX influence brings in dark sugars and dried fruit, but it never overwhelms the spirit. There’s a gentle salinity running underneath everything — subtle, but unmistakably Campbeltown.

It feels confident and slightly rugged, but still well-mannered.

Finish

Medium to long, warming, and gently drying.

Oak spice, salted toffee, and a lingering maritime edge fade slowly. There’s a faint bitterness right at the end — not unpleasant, but a reminder that this is a whisky with backbone rather than polish.

How to Drink Glen Scotia Double Cask

Best enjoyed neat or with a few drops of water. Water helps open up the sweetness and soften the spice without stripping away the coastal character. Ice works less well here, dulling the texture that makes this whisky interesting.

Food Pairing

• Smoked meats
• Aged cheddar
• Dark chocolate
• Roast pork

The whisky’s mix of sweetness and salt works especially well with savoury, umami-leaning dishes.

Who Is This Whisky For?

This Glen Scotia Double Cask review is aimed at:

• Drinkers curious about Campbeltown whisky
• Scotch fans looking to move beyond Speyside and Islay
• Those who enjoy a balance of cask influence and spirit character

If you’re chasing heavy peat or rich sherry bombs, this may feel restrained. But if you want to understand why Campbeltown still matters, this is a strong place to start.

What Do Others Write About This Whisky?

Independent reviewers tend to view Glen Scotia Double Cask as a solid modern representation of Campbeltown:

• WhiskyNotes often highlights its oily texture and balanced PX influence, noting that the cask finish adds sweetness without masking the distillery character.
  https://www.whiskynotes.be/2018/glen-scotia/glen-scotia-double-cask/
• Words of Whisky describes it as approachable but characterful, praising the maritime backbone while acknowledging that it’s not the boldest Campbeltown malt on the market.
  https://wordsofwhisky.com/glen-scotia-double-cask-2020/
• Road to Dram frames it as an excellent entry point into the region, particularly for drinkers unfamiliar with Campbeltown’s coastal style.
  https://roadtodram.com/glen-scotia-double-cask-review/

The consensus is clear: this is not about extremes — it’s about balance and identity.

Verdict

Strengths

• Clear Campbeltown character
• Natural presentation at 46% ABV
• Well-judged PX cask influence
• Widely available and fairly priced

Weaknesses

• Lacks the intensity of older Campbeltown bottlings
• PX finish may feel restrained for sherry lovers
• Slight bitterness on the finish

Glen Scotia Double Cask vs Springbank 10

Any conversation about Campbeltown whisky eventually circles back to Springbank — and more specifically, Springbank 10. It’s the benchmark for the region and the bottle most drinkers use as a reference point, fairly or not.

Be sure to give my Springbank 10 Review a look if you want the full run down and compare them for yourself!

While both whiskies represent Campbeltown, they approach it from very different angles.

Springbank 10 is all about distillery character first. Partial triple distillation, lightly peated malt, and traditional production methods create a whisky that’s oily, funky, and unmistakably Springbank. It’s complex, layered, and often slightly challenging — rewarding, but rarely simple.

Glen Scotia Double Cask, by contrast, is more cask-led and approachable. The ex-bourbon maturation and PX finish smooth out some of Campbeltown’s sharper edges, introducing sweetness and structure that make it easier to understand on first encounter. The maritime notes are still there, but they’re framed rather than foregrounded.

In practical terms:

• Choose Springbank 10 if you want the full Campbeltown experience, warts and all.
• Choose Glen Scotia Double Cask if you want a gentler, more accessible route into the region — especially if you’re newer to Campbeltown whisky.

They’re not competitors so much as companions: one defines the region, the other invites people into it.

Final Thoughts

This Glen Scotia Double Cask review isn’t about nostalgia or hype. It’s about a distillery quietly doing its job — keeping Campbeltown relevant, drinkable, and accessible.

Glen Scotia Double Cask offers a genuine sense of place without demanding prior knowledge or commitment. For many drinkers, that makes it not just a good Campbeltown whisky — but an important one.