Scapa 16YO tasting notes
Feb. 3rd, 2025 06:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
concert_goerScapa 16YO OB 70cl 48% ABV
Small Batch
Bottle code LKPV4453 2024/08/08 14:48
Color: dark gold.
Nose: heather, clay, rhubarb compote, chocolate-dipped cherries, tar soap, dried apricots, salted caramel, sea breeze, honey, papaya, orange zest, wax, brewed tea, vanilla, and wool. Thick, distinctive, and captivating.
Taste: honey, apples, apple seeds, tangerines, dark chocolate, pepper, salt, cloves, lemons, and peaches. A very drinkable malt, though not overly complex.
Finish: apples, oranges, oak, pepper, salt, lemons, dark chocolate, pears, and almonds.
Score: 8 ½. Good. +2+1+1.
Conclusion: the old Scapa 16YO was discontinued in 2015, leaving the distillery’s core range dependent on inferior NAS releases for a while. Now, this Orkney malt makes a welcome return in a gorgeous bottle and with a higher ABV — because, let's be honest, nobody wants 80 proof whisky anymore; that was your grandfather's beverage. Comparing it to my old notes, the new 16YO feels notably different from its predecessor, though my last Scapa tasting happened in 2011. A well-crafted dram, great to have it back. 86/100, I like the saltiness. The Orkney Islands have more to offer than just Highland Park.
Small Batch
Bottle code LKPV4453 2024/08/08 14:48
Color: dark gold.
Nose: heather, clay, rhubarb compote, chocolate-dipped cherries, tar soap, dried apricots, salted caramel, sea breeze, honey, papaya, orange zest, wax, brewed tea, vanilla, and wool. Thick, distinctive, and captivating.
Taste: honey, apples, apple seeds, tangerines, dark chocolate, pepper, salt, cloves, lemons, and peaches. A very drinkable malt, though not overly complex.
Finish: apples, oranges, oak, pepper, salt, lemons, dark chocolate, pears, and almonds.
Score: 8 ½. Good. +2+1+1.
Conclusion: the old Scapa 16YO was discontinued in 2015, leaving the distillery’s core range dependent on inferior NAS releases for a while. Now, this Orkney malt makes a welcome return in a gorgeous bottle and with a higher ABV — because, let's be honest, nobody wants 80 proof whisky anymore; that was your grandfather's beverage. Comparing it to my old notes, the new 16YO feels notably different from its predecessor, though my last Scapa tasting happened in 2011. A well-crafted dram, great to have it back. 86/100, I like the saltiness. The Orkney Islands have more to offer than just Highland Park.
