Scapa, the other Orkney distillery (someone did really ask: why “other”? It’s time to study, folks!), has a controversial reputation: because of the celebrated neighbour, it has long suffered from an inferiority complex. What could we say about Scapa? We’re whisky nerds, so we’d like to remember that until some years ago Scapa’s fermentation was one of the longest in Scotland: 160 hours. Recently the production system changed, sacrificed at the altar of the efficiency. Anyway, today we taste one of the first expressions of Scapa single malt: a 12 years old whisky bottled in 2000.
N: immediate honey notes, matched by rich floral suggestions (heather and violet). At the same time a slightly mineral side is recognizable. It’s just hinted, but it makes the bouquet more complex. A lot of salty licorice (Lakerol!) and red apple to give fruity depth. A dissociated sensation of violet bonbons and cardboard worries us before the first sip.
P: vanilla, honey, licorice and a cloying, sweetish, terrible note of violet bonbon (pastiglia Leone). It’s not well integrated and definetely too strong. Maybe a hint of anisette?
F: vanilla cream, a bit of honey and again violet, violet and violet.
Sadly, it’s disappointing, indeed. The nose was promising, but the palate is destroyed by the disturbing note of super-sugary violet bonbon. Not more than 72/100. Maybe did the sample go bad?
Recommended soundtrack: Hole – Violet.
