Glen Scotia Launches 12-Year-Old Vin Santo Cask Finish

Icons of Campbeltown Release No. 4 Arrives at Cask Strength with Sweet Dried Fruit and Coastal Salt

Campbeltown distillery Glen Scotia has announced the launch of the fourth release in its Icons of Campbeltown series: Griffin 12 Year Old Limited Edition. As the fourth installment in the five-part collection, this unpeated 12-year-old single malt draws inspiration from the folklore of Scotland's smallest whisky region. It pays homage to the mythical griffin carved into Campbeltown's 14th-century market cross. In legendary depictions, this cross features saints and mythical beasts, including the griffin—half eagle, half lion—which symbolizes strength, vigilance, and protection, long watching over the town's harbor and whisky stocks.

This Glen Scotia single malt whisky was finished in Vin Santo wine casks and bottled at a cask strength of 53.8% ABV, presented non-chill filtered and with natural color. For the packaging artwork, the distillery once again collaborated with renowned artist Joel Holtzman, whose previous work includes projects for Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, bringing the guardian beast vividly to life.

Vin Santo Cask Profile and Master Blender Insights

According to the distillery's official tasting notes, maturation in Vin Santo casks imparts remarkable depth to the whisky. The spirit delivers honeyed sweetness interwoven with dried apricots and sultanas, complemented by toasted almonds, hazelnuts, and delicate cinnamon spice. On the finish, warming cinnamon spice and nutty nuances linger, grounded by Glen Scotia's signature maritime saline edge that ties the entire profile together.

Glen Scotia Master Blender Ashley Smith linked the griffin's protective spirit with the distillery team, noting: "Our town has so many remarkable stories, and the Icons of Campbeltown series brings these incredible tales to life. The griffin has guarded Campbeltown for centuries, and that is how I view our team—we are the guardians of Glen Scotia's whisky. Every cask leaving here is crafted by people protecting a singular style, one cherished worldwide thanks to generational craftsmanship." She added that finishing in Vin Santo casks was chosen to truly accentuate the distillery's core characteristics, imparting honeyed sweetness, dried fruit, and toasted nuts, all anchored by that signature coastal sea salt.

A Historic Survivor of the Victorian Golden Age

Founded in 1832, Glen Scotia stands as a living testament to Campbeltown's Victorian heyday, when the town bustled with more than 30 operating distilleries. As times changed, the region contracted down to just three active distilleries today, with Glen Scotia remaining one of the enduring historical survivors.

📅 Publication Date: 2026-09-14

🔗 Source: The Whiskey Wash