Scapa remains one of the active distilleries with the lowest review count in my book. However we stick to the adage that every distillery produces gems at some point.
A couple of years ago we had a nice Scapa 1988 from Gordon & MacPhail and today we have a Scapa 1990 in the same Connoisseurs Choice series. The labels claims it’s a refill sherry hogshead, but the colour indicates a much louder sherry influence (or heavy toasting).
Scapa 31 yo 1990 (60,3%, Gordon & MacPhail ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ 2022, refill sherry hogshead #4745, 186 btl.)
Nose: the quality of the sherry cask is exceptional. Black cherries, plump sultanas and prunes in armagnac, along with generous hints of furniture polish. Even a whiff of modeling glue. Rich fruitcake, cinnamon and roasted hazelnuts. Really intense. Then a lot of orange peels and subtle eucalyptus, as well as dark leathery notes, mint chocolate and earthy notes at the bottom.
Mouth: same brute power, but so good. A lot of tobacco, black treacle and stewed forest fruits. Christmas spice and gingerbread. Then flashes of candied orange again, along with some bright red berries. Brown sugar, peppermint and eucalyptus, with dark chocolate taking over after a while. Drying herbs and subtle resinous notes towards the end, with nice rancio as well.
Finish: a lot of oaky warmth, drying herbs, earthy nuts and robust cognac notes.
Refill hogshead? If you say so. Overall very thick and powerful Scapa – a proper sherry bomb. Fruit, spice, polished wood, all dialed up to eleven. Already excellent and probably one that comes out even better with bottle ageing. Most of these bottles seem to have gone to Germany, I found a sample at Delia Whiskyshop.