Yesterday, I was offered a bottle of whiskey to buy. I had previously tasted some cheaper versions of Glen Scotia, so I was a bit hesitant to pay around $100 for a bottle without an age statement. The only reassuring factor was its cask strength (or something close to it). At least it wasn't 43% or even 46%. However, when I got home and tasted it, I was extremely surprised. The flavor is absolutely awesome-full-bodied, sweet, but not overly so. I am extremely happy with the purchase.
Great review. I picked up a bottle of the 54.2% almost a year ago and had a few drams which I enjoyed but hadn't touched it in a good 6-7 months. I had one last night side by side with a Kilkerran 12 and have to say the GSV was the winner hands down. Now that my palate has expanded from drinking a lot of CS and IB whisky I have a lot more appreciation for what this malt brings to the table. The sherry and bourbon influence and how they work so well together is remarkable and this is quite a damn good malt for the price. I was a bit surprised that it won whisky of the year (Ledaig 18 was my choice) but it is available and affordable so I was happy with the results. It's also a good reminder not to turn our noses up to NAS whiskies - there are some good ones out there that shouldn't be ignored in my opinion.
thx again for the review Geoff. I get flavours and an experience from this that I do not get from anything else in the whisky world. It is special stuff 👌
I voted for this last year haha. Love the stuff and a regular in the stash, got a bottle of the peated 8 yr Campletown festival release this year and it was a belter. Top stuff mate 🙂
Nice Video from you, again. I like Glen Scotia very much, especially their Peated Expressions. Sad that the 10yo Peated is discontinued, it was really good Stuff for the Fair Price. Thanks for Sharing your Opinion.
Great whisky at an affordable price and an absolute staple. I love the funk and the chees-like notes in there. A Glen Scotia was one of my first bottles I bought and I have been a bit of a fan boy ever since.
Hey, Geoff! Perfect timing with the review😀 My vote at the OSWAs went for the AnCnoc 18 and for people's choice I picked Port Charlotte 10. Still, I don't mind Voctoriana winning as I love Glen Scotia. Also, its sister distillery Loch Lomond goes steadily up and up in by book too. Unfortunately Glen Scotia is overpriced in Bulgaria, but I managed to buy a couple of bottles of Victoriana in 2021 on special sale at roughly 55 euros. I'd very much like to try the 18 yo, but man that price... around 128 euros. Glen Scotia is imported in Bulgaria by the same company that imports Laphroaig and Kavalan and all these brands are blatantly overpiced here. Coincidence? I doubt it... I'm looking forward for that review of the 8 yo festival bottle. I got a bottle not long ago for ~69 euros. Tough price, but I just couldn't resist. Cheers!
The AnCnoc and PC10 are solid picks! Yeah I was a bit surprised when Victoriana took it. Shows what I know. I was happy to see it myself. Wouldn't have been my pick but it absolutely makes sense. It's beautiful stuff, not too pricey, and seriously unique. These whisky people know what they're talking about! The Loch Lomond is a brand I'm slowly getting into. I've got the 18, tried the 12, and I'll be trying "The Open" soon. It's interesting stuff and very well priced! The 8 year old Scotia is good. I'll be reviewing it in the next couple weeks if all goes to plan. Cheers buddy! 🥃
Usual great review Mr G All the usual range Glen Scotia’s are worth a try , except I don’t care for the strange bottlings in Bordeaux casks etc But I’ll say it again 🤣IMO The Duty free 16 year old Ltr is the pick of the bunch
@@Gwhisky The question ...Is Victoriana worth the hype ?...Much as its def good , No.....I personally don't think it is worth the hype or the award , again , broken record but i prefer the 16 (also to the 15 and 18 ) and in all honesty ( i know you don't agree on this view ) i reckon the Double Cask is shockingly good value and a less challenging , i agree with the guy who still has a half full bott of Vic , i just hardly ever , wait for it ....Reach for it !!!( i do love that phrase it tells you all ya need to know about what ya really really like !!)
Hi Geoff ! It' super , today morning Georgian whisky clubs member made rewiev in this whisky and give him high point and said Victoriana best then 12 y.o.Glen Scotia .
Great timing ! I have to admit I've found this bottle.. challenging Admittedly it's the 51.5% bottle I've got but it's been sat in my Italian collection for 18 months and I still have half a bottle left. I was slightly perplexed how it won at the OSWAs with all the great competition in that category. Maybe I've got a bad batch! Generally I love Glen Scotia and particularly the 15 and 18. Cheers Geoff
There might be batch issues. I didn't like my first bottle at all, and I believe that was the 51.5% release. Or it might simply be a matter of taste. Agree on the 18... probably my favourite affordable offering from their line. Cheers Ramiz! 🥃
Had a bottle of this for some time. It's not one that I've raced through but I agree that it keeps getting better as the bottle goes down. For me there are big tropical notes up front and then those undercurrents of tobacco and leather. A product of the combination of ages in the bottle I suspect. Definitely one that has taken a while to get to grips with but a quality product.
so far the 51.5% Victoriana has been my only Glen Scotia. it's been open since January of last year and it has been temperamental a couple of times even when pouring it as seldom as I do. one time it even gave me a scare because tasted like it had corked, but bounced back a few weeks later. I have no doubt that this bottle didnt instantly become $150 retail when the award was announced and in that regard I dont appreciate awards because it only highlights something with genuinely intrinsic value as "in demand" aka kiss it goodbye. The tasting notes for me have been very consistent over time; rich cheesecake on slightly charred Graham cracker crust topped with a fresh fruit salad(my first taste literally made me visualize strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, apple and kiwi adorned atop a cheesecake). I fall in love with Victoriana everytime. I dont hate the new packaging which is a pleasant surprise to me.
Love those tasting notes. And I do think there was a difference between the older batches and the newer ones. I don't get quite as much of a cheese note in these newer ones, although some people still seem to pick up on it. And yes, the new packaging is actually pretty nice! 🥃
@@Gwhisky So far my experience with Campbeltown is only the Victoriana, Springbank 15, Kilkerran 12 and Kilkerran Peat in Progress Batch 5. Victoriana is the cheesiest of those with Kilkerran PiP really being the only other one that has the lactic richness I associate with cheese and it's way more like a custard or creme brulee compared to Vic. In reference to the newer batches; I've noticed less of a focus on "the funk" aspect when looking at reviews of Campbeltown releases as of late in general. Do you think maybe they are neutering new whisky to be more "consumer friendly"? It would be a damn shame if they were and totally negating the desire to seek for them as it should be their calling card in my opinion.
I poured my KK12 to double check and it does have a bit of coconut cream pie with a dusting of lemon zest thing about it between the nose and palate. So I suppose SB15 is the least of the bunch under all that sherry and smoke.
Interesting take on it. I have to look into this Distillery. I know you are a fan of Edradour, have you tried the 22 year Oloroso high proof red canister? Superb. I think it's right in your lane.
Thanks for the review. First tried Victoriana 2020 and instantly enjoyed it for basically the same reasons you do. I do think that initial bottle was slightly better than the most current version but that’s subjective as my taste has evolved or certainly changed over time. Still highly rated, however that first bottle was £55 whereas the last was £73 so it’s periscope up like everything else these days! Also bought the double rum finish NAS bottling and really enjoying that although it’s not cask strength, but a respectable 46 abv at under £50.
I'd never heard of that rum finished bottling. Just looked it up. Could be good! And yes, the price of this seems to have gone up here as well, along with the price of everything else. Cheers Gary. 🥃
I need to buy a bottle of this quick smart. I've drunken 3 bottles.of this however 3 or 4 years ago. Was my favorite whisky then, I'm sure it will be again.
I haven’t tried Victoriana, never seen it in the liquor stores in the area where I live now and lived before I moved. I have experienced the Double Oak, the 15 and 25 year olds (didn’t have to pay for the 25 y.o., god bless friends!). I do like all of them but to my taste I think the Double Oak is the best value for money.
In my market the Glen Scotia 15 YO (Bourbon w/ an Oloroso Finish) is significantly cheaper. I realize you are giving up some proof (51-56% v. 46%) and the 15 YO is a finish, v. the Victoriana's Ex-Bourbon & PX Sherry matured blend, but head to head what's your preference?
I much prefer the Victoriana. I have never really connected with the 15 in the way a lot of other seem to. Solid, but definitely not my favourite from the line. Cheers Allen! 🥃
Great review and observations. While I do think that Victoriana received slightly more praise than it deserves at the OSWAs, it's still a solid offering. And I do prefer it to the 18. Cheers 🥃
Tried this one and GS 18. Prefer 18yo as well. Once again personal preference. I would love to see natural colour Glen Scotia 15yo. I believe they add E150.
Nice review G. I have this on order since I'm curious what the hubbub is all about. Does it taste any less or more mature than the 15? How would you compare the Victoriana with the Loch Lomond 18?
It tastes about as mature as the 15. The Victoriana isn't quite as "dirty" as the Loch Lomond 18, but it's got a bit more weight and texture. Very different whiskies and both extremely unique. 🥃
I don't wish to be critical of the OSWAS (I voted) but, I have to say, I don't think it's everything it's cracked out to be. Too many categories had highly predictable nominations and it was really like an online community echo chamber. I really appreciate the effort of Roy and Ralfy but I think the format needs to change if it's going to keep me interested next year. Springbank, for example, will win best distillery next year and in perpetuity. They aren't necessarily the best distillery at all but the ludicrous and uncritical hype that surrounds them, amplified by short supply, make it a certainty. Deanston had a couple of nominations too - Deanston! Arran 10 was also utterly predictable. Ditto: If Victoriana is the best whisky out there the moon is made of cheese. It could be me of course. I think I'm moving further and further away from mainstream opinion about whisky matters. I first tried Victoriana at a Tasting a number of years ago. I think it had just launched. It was okay but I wasn't that impressed. To this day I'm still irritated that it doesn't have an age statement. We have a right to know what we're paying for when a bottle costs £75. It was all part of the NAS craze which was designed to sell us younger whisky for old prices. "It's what's in the bottle that matters" - Yeah. I do think I need to give this another go and it's been kind of on my radar for a while. The 18 has increased in price and costs more than £100 now so that's probably a thing of the past. Cheers Geoff. Great review as always. WT
Don't take this the wrong way, WT, but I think you're being a bit cynical here. By nature the OSWAs are going to drift towards the centre of what most whisky lovers appreciate-such is the nature of a democratic voting system. If you're there looking for obscure or non-mainstream whiskies then of course it's not going to deliver. No reason we can't celebrate the whiskies that are high quality, widely available, and well presented. My first experience with the Victoriana wasn't a very positive one, either. I've had two bottles since and I thoroughly enjoy it now. No guarantees that that'll be the case for you, but I think it warrants a revisit. Agree that a stated age would be nice. Cheers buddy. 🥃
@@Gwhisky I appreciate that I do come off a bit cynical in that comment and I was aware of that when I posted. I really don't want to be but there's a lot to be cynical about. 18 year old whisky is becoming more and more expensive and increasingly hard to justify. We've had conversations about 12 year old whisky being overpriced. I'm finding it harder and harder to keep a cool head when there is so much BS coming from the corporate ownership of distilleries these days. Most of my interest is coming from Independent bottles now. Those single cask bottles are far easier to find than anything from Springbank distillery. I love Springbank but they can hardly be called a people's distillery when people can't buy it. They are not available and I don't think they should be on the OSWAs list until they are. Cynicism to one side, I do enjoy the OSWAs but I think there's room for improvement as it develops and I'm sure that will be the case.
You're not the only cynical one: I did vote again this year, but didn't bother watching the results 'show'. Having now looked up the winners, I'm not surprised, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that I am not part of the target audience...
I agree with most of ur frustration and def wld like to see them do smthg about repeat winners. I think the Ralfy & Roy “integrity” movement is important but at the same time I am getting very tired of the preaching to the choir and the self-justifying statistical analysis. If that continues much longer I will start to tune out but am hoping everyone just leaves the preaching to lower than rant levels and rewards the integrity bottlings with positive reviews instead of focusing on the releases that lack said integrity.
Interesting thoughts. I think for the most Roy and Ralfy have done an amazing job and you will never please everyone. I think potentially opening up the categories to 10 or 12 optioms might please more people. It was very predictable that Arran 10 won again which makes it seem like its in a league of its own winning two years running. I would have take any of the other options over the Arran 10 to be honest.
Got one of these a year or more ago. It's good but didn't really connect with it. Kind of reminds me of what Laphroig has done with Lore. An engineered Whisky made with different age casks. Cheers
Dollar for dollar, I think Victoriana is the very best whisky being bottled in Scotland today, and that's at any age or at any price. It's at the pinnacle of my high-value whiskies in 2022; a group which also includes Craigellachie 13, Port Charlotte 10, Glenmorangie 14, and Laphroaig 10 CS. Or if I was on a very tight budget and still wanted a solid cross section of Scotch profiles: Loch Lomond 12 (complex), Glencadam 10 (standard), Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair (Sherried), and Ardbeg 5 (peated).
I'm torn about whether to get a bottle of the Victoriana and the comments here doesn't help. In my market it costs all of C$130 while the Kilkerran 12 is C$100. I'm not sure I want tl pay the premium for an "award winner" whisky. These days I've been trying to aquire unusual malts and have been successful in finding independent bottlings of Auchroisk, Fettercairn, Blair Athol, Mannochmore, and blends like Orchard House that contain Clynelish, Linkwood, and Benrinnes. Just the other day I found a cask strength Glenlossie for C$82 and am seriously thinking of getting a second bottle of it instead of a Victoriana which costs an extra C$50. In any case I enjoyed your video and also the OSWA. If anything it spurred me on to buying my first ever bourbon, the Wild Turkey Rare Breed, of course the fact that it was on sale for C$50 played no small role.
Just catching up that this won, can’t believe it, the bottle I had I ended up tipping the last bit down the sink. Wanted to like it after all the hype but it was just rough and unpleasant.
A few people have reacted negatively to this one. I felt similarly about my first bottle. Not sure if it's a batch thing or a taste thing, but hey it won't be for everyone. Cheers Sid. 🥃
I felt exactly the same as you. I enjoy almost all of my whisky at CS, and rarely have trouble with a “challenging whisky”. It took consuming 2/3 of this bottle, and sitting on the shelf for well over a year before it became tamed enough to be drinkable without drowning it in water. It was an inferno of heat on the back of the throat. One of the most unpleasant CS whisky experiences I’ve had. Not surprised to hear that some had dumped it. I nearly did. Buyers regret with this one.
Malt activist made a good point about potentially people associating Victoriana with the 51.5% bottling and not the 54.2% bottling potentially. He also felt the 54.2% was not as good. I haven't tried it but I have a 54.8% Batch 001 on the way to see how that compares also. Cheers!
Yeah I saw his videos on the the modern version and the mini he had of the older one. While I like the newer one more than he does, he and I both seem to agree that the older lower-abv stuff was better. I don't know much about the 54.8% version, but I'm sure it's delicious. Most of my bottles of Victoriana have been good. Cheers! 🥃
I understand all the uniqueness that you are talking about, but about the mustiness and some leather note, those are quite challenging. I leave my half bottle on the shelf untouched for half a year and see if my taste may change to appreciate it again in the future. For now, not connected with this one.
Grabbed the older 51.5% for $59us..no tax last one on shelf...give it a try...Clynelish 14 for $39us no shit...last one and the elusive Glenfarclas 15.. 46%.....next store tomorrow.. Johnny has unicorns...
You hypester you... Definitely top of the GS range for me. 18 comes a close second. I was extremely underwhelmed by their "award winning" 25. It was a disappointment. The Victoriana shines as a unique dram. I suspect they have vatted some older whiskies in here. I get the lovely, dry tannic note that we can associate with older maturation. So yes, very "adjective-y". Ha! Haven't had their peated 8 PX cask. On my radar.
Agree! I haven't reviewed the 8 yet but I've got it on the go and it's fantastic. Its actually quite close the Victoriana in a lot of ways, but with a nice peaty kick and some sherry notes. The PX doesn't overwhelm and it isn't too sweet. You might enjoy it! 🥃
I don't regret buying it, but probably will opt for something else next time. There's a LOT of alcohol in the nose, albeit it got better after breathing a while. It is spicy and interesting, but... price range, one could buy other whisky and bourbon that can offer more. UPDATE: After a couple days of breathing it became better. Water makes the alcohol feels stronger and the aroma thinner, so I'd take it straight.
Mine took a while to open up as well. It was at its best after well over a month of being popped. Glad to hear you're starting to warm up to it. Cheers Anna! 🥃
LOL bro, are you experimenting with a new editing technique? It is weird. Please go back to previous with no talk-overs! Otherwise a good review. I have a 2020 bottling and it is just from memory but I am going to revisit it soon because of you
Just trying to tighten up the videos with less and make them more concise. I think your 2020 should be the 54.2% strength. Either way you can't go wrong with this one, newer or older. Cheers.
Going on a whisky safari tomorrow...turns out my hotel is one block from the store that has Victoriana...I wanted to tell you I was killing a Deanston 12 the other night and I got your soapy note...laughed my balls off... 2023...whisky..not women...
ah ah, when I saw the title I thought "88" ... that's what I reckon it'll be / what I would score...bingo 😀! "Macerated strawberries with balsamic vinegar and pepper" would be my pretentious tasting notes 😉
@@Gwhisky great video as usual, will catch up with everything at some point! suggestion : a google spreadsheet doc with your whiskies/score/ link to the videos ?
Brand new to your channel. Subscribed. Really enjoy the obvious honesty and humor. Which does not really go with your ... shall we say 'antiseptic' presentation. Sorry. Too white, to minimalistic and if I had just looked and not actually stopped and listened ... I would have passed. That said, I believe you. There's no 'flannel' here. Straight forward and to the point. And most of all I appreciate your pace, though still a bit frantic for me is still much more subdued compared to some of your compatriots who literally make me want to click off inside of 20 seconds. I'll be back.
Well I appreciate your bluntness. As it happens, I'm in the midst of planning out a new set with new equipment. With any luck the channel will have a more professional look within the coming few weeks. Welcome to the channel, Reed! Glad you're enjoying the content. 🥃
@@Gwhisky Oh Good. Somewhere between First Phil and ralfy I hope. 😁 First Phil must be a professional video editor. I can't imagine how much time and effort he puts into his videos. Doubt his efforts could possibly have a big cost/benefit ratio to the positive. 🤔 ralfy on the other hand ....
@@nohandle257 Hah yeah Phil's a video guy. And you're right his edits are amazing. My setup will likely just be a few shelves in the background and some slicker lighting. Also, you might have noticed my 4k resolution doesn't actually look 4k. All of that will be fixed soon (hopefully). Cheers.
Yesterday, I was offered a bottle of whiskey to buy. I had previously tasted some cheaper versions of Glen Scotia, so I was a bit hesitant to pay around $100 for a bottle without an age statement. The only reassuring factor was its cask strength (or something close to it). At least it wasn't 43% or even 46%. However, when I got home and tasted it, I was extremely surprised. The flavor is absolutely awesome-full-bodied, sweet, but not overly so. I am extremely happy with the purchase.
Great review. I picked up a bottle of the 54.2% almost a year ago and had a few drams which I enjoyed but hadn't touched it in a good 6-7 months. I had one last night side by side with a Kilkerran 12 and have to say the GSV was the winner hands down. Now that my palate has expanded from drinking a lot of CS and IB whisky I have a lot more appreciation for what this malt brings to the table. The sherry and bourbon influence and how they work so well together is remarkable and this is quite a damn good malt for the price. I was a bit surprised that it won whisky of the year (Ledaig 18 was my choice) but it is available and affordable so I was happy with the results. It's also a good reminder not to turn our noses up to NAS whiskies - there are some good ones out there that shouldn't be ignored in my opinion.
Well said! It really is special stuff. Btw... your choice for whisky of the year is 💯. 😉
thx again for the review Geoff. I get flavours and an experience from this that I do not get from anything else in the whisky world. It is special stuff 👌
Agree! 🥃
Great review, Geoff. Certainly one of my favourites I’ve sampled over this past year.
Cheers Paul! 🥃
Just about to pick up my 1st victoriana tomorrow 😊 thanks for the review ❤
I voted for this last year haha. Love the stuff and a regular in the stash, got a bottle of the peated 8 yr Campletown festival release this year and it was a belter.
Top stuff mate 🙂
That 8 year old is excellent! Cheers Gareth! 🥃
I got a bottle of this and after the first dram went back and bought every bottle I could. One of if not the best Scotch I've ever had.
Just picked one up for 100$, I love campbeltown whisky’s! Can’t wait to crack this one. Good work, cheers
Was sad that they did not win last year..... Redemption Love this one. Great review.
Yeah it's well deserved! 🥃
For me, #1 Victoriana 54,2%. #2 51,5% #3 15-year #4 18-y #5 Double Cask (not mentioning the special or festival releases or Single Casks)
Yeah that's fair. Seems a lot of people have different takes on this line. 🥃
Nice Video from you, again.
I like Glen Scotia very much, especially their Peated Expressions.
Sad that the 10yo Peated is discontinued, it was really good Stuff for the Fair Price.
Thanks for Sharing your Opinion.
Thanks for watching! Have you tried the latest peated 8 year old? Really good! 🥃
@@Gwhisky Not yet. Its still closed in my "to Open" Area.😅
His/Her/Its (🤣😂) Time will come 🤗
Great whisky at an affordable price and an absolute staple. I love the funk and the chees-like notes in there. A Glen Scotia was one of my first bottles I bought and I have been a bit of a fan boy ever since.
High praise... but deserved! 🥃
Hey, Geoff! Perfect timing with the review😀
My vote at the OSWAs went for the AnCnoc 18 and for people's choice I picked Port Charlotte 10. Still, I don't mind Voctoriana winning as I love Glen Scotia. Also, its sister distillery Loch Lomond goes steadily up and up in by book too.
Unfortunately Glen Scotia is overpriced in Bulgaria, but I managed to buy a couple of bottles of Victoriana in 2021 on special sale at roughly 55 euros. I'd very much like to try the 18 yo, but man that price... around 128 euros. Glen Scotia is imported in Bulgaria by the same company that imports Laphroaig and Kavalan and all these brands are blatantly overpiced here. Coincidence? I doubt it...
I'm looking forward for that review of the 8 yo festival bottle. I got a bottle not long ago for ~69 euros. Tough price, but I just couldn't resist.
Cheers!
The AnCnoc and PC10 are solid picks! Yeah I was a bit surprised when Victoriana took it. Shows what I know. I was happy to see it myself. Wouldn't have been my pick but it absolutely makes sense. It's beautiful stuff, not too pricey, and seriously unique. These whisky people know what they're talking about!
The Loch Lomond is a brand I'm slowly getting into. I've got the 18, tried the 12, and I'll be trying "The Open" soon. It's interesting stuff and very well priced!
The 8 year old Scotia is good. I'll be reviewing it in the next couple weeks if all goes to plan. Cheers buddy! 🥃
Honest review Geoff. Thanks.
'Nough said.
Slàinte mhath
Hah cheers Peathead. As always, thanks for watching! 🥃
This is one of my favorites!!! Glen Scotia hits the spot
It's excellent! 🥃
Usual great review Mr G
All the usual range Glen Scotia’s are worth a try , except I don’t care for the strange bottlings in Bordeaux casks etc
But I’ll say it again 🤣IMO The Duty free 16 year old Ltr is the pick of the bunch
Hah I still haven't picked it up. Seems like special stuff. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten! 🥃
@@Gwhisky The question ...Is Victoriana worth the hype ?...Much as its def good , No.....I personally don't think it is worth the hype or the award , again , broken record but i prefer the 16 (also to the 15 and 18 ) and in all honesty ( i know you don't agree on this view ) i reckon the Double Cask is shockingly good value and a less challenging , i agree with the guy who still has a half full bott of Vic , i just hardly ever , wait for it ....Reach for it !!!( i do love that phrase it tells you all ya need to know about what ya really really like !!)
@@allanwhittle3041 Hah that's fair. For a whisky that I scored 88, I can't say I reach for it too often myself. "Reachability" is a big thing! 🥃
Always a fan of the Victoriana!
Hi Geoff ! It' super , today morning Georgian whisky clubs member made rewiev in this whisky and give him high point and said Victoriana best then 12 y.o.Glen Scotia .
Wow! Yeah it's a really good one. Glad you guys enjoyed it! 🥃
@@Gwhisky Cheers !
Great timing ! I have to admit I've found this bottle.. challenging Admittedly it's the 51.5% bottle I've got but it's been sat in my Italian collection for 18 months and I still have half a bottle left. I was slightly perplexed how it won at the OSWAs with all the great competition in that category. Maybe I've got a bad batch! Generally I love Glen Scotia and particularly the 15 and 18. Cheers Geoff
There might be batch issues. I didn't like my first bottle at all, and I believe that was the 51.5% release. Or it might simply be a matter of taste. Agree on the 18... probably my favourite affordable offering from their line. Cheers Ramiz! 🥃
I must have a bottle from the same batch. My partially finished bottle has been getting dusty the back of the shelf. Many better offerings out there.
Had a bottle of this for some time. It's not one that I've raced through but I agree that it keeps getting better as the bottle goes down.
For me there are big tropical notes up front and then those undercurrents of tobacco and leather. A product of the combination of ages in the bottle I suspect.
Definitely one that has taken a while to get to grips with but a quality product.
I had to get to know it myself. Didn't enjoy pretty much the entirety of my first bottle! 🥃
so far the 51.5% Victoriana has been my only Glen Scotia. it's been open since January of last year and it has been temperamental a couple of times even when pouring it as seldom as I do. one time it even gave me a scare because tasted like it had corked, but bounced back a few weeks later. I have no doubt that this bottle didnt instantly become $150 retail when the award was announced and in that regard I dont appreciate awards because it only highlights something with genuinely intrinsic value as "in demand" aka kiss it goodbye. The tasting notes for me have been very consistent over time; rich cheesecake on slightly charred Graham cracker crust topped with a fresh fruit salad(my first taste literally made me visualize strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, apple and kiwi adorned atop a cheesecake). I fall in love with Victoriana everytime. I dont hate the new packaging which is a pleasant surprise to me.
Love those tasting notes. And I do think there was a difference between the older batches and the newer ones. I don't get quite as much of a cheese note in these newer ones, although some people still seem to pick up on it. And yes, the new packaging is actually pretty nice! 🥃
@@Gwhisky So far my experience with Campbeltown is only the Victoriana, Springbank 15, Kilkerran 12 and Kilkerran Peat in Progress Batch 5. Victoriana is the cheesiest of those with Kilkerran PiP really being the only other one that has the lactic richness I associate with cheese and it's way more like a custard or creme brulee compared to Vic.
In reference to the newer batches; I've noticed less of a focus on "the funk" aspect when looking at reviews of Campbeltown releases as of late in general. Do you think maybe they are neutering new whisky to be more "consumer friendly"? It would be a damn shame if they were and totally negating the desire to seek for them as it should be their calling card in my opinion.
I poured my KK12 to double check and it does have a bit of coconut cream pie with a dusting of lemon zest thing about it between the nose and palate. So I suppose SB15 is the least of the bunch under all that sherry and smoke.
Didn’t you get any of the PX casks used in this whisky?
Interesting take on it. I have to look into this Distillery. I know you are a fan of Edradour, have you tried the 22 year Oloroso high proof red canister? Superb. I think it's right in your lane.
Oof. The older ones tend to be a bit out of my budget. Sounds fantastic, though! 🥃
Thanks for the review. First tried Victoriana 2020 and instantly enjoyed it for basically the same reasons you do. I do think that initial bottle was slightly better than the most current version but that’s subjective as my taste has evolved or certainly changed over time. Still highly rated, however that first bottle was £55 whereas the last was £73 so it’s periscope up like everything else these days! Also bought the double rum finish NAS bottling and really enjoying that although it’s not cask strength, but a respectable 46 abv at under £50.
I'd never heard of that rum finished bottling. Just looked it up. Could be good! And yes, the price of this seems to have gone up here as well, along with the price of everything else. Cheers Gary. 🥃
@@Gwhisky cheers mate. 🥃🥃
I need to buy a bottle of this quick smart. I've drunken 3 bottles.of this however 3 or 4 years ago. Was my favorite whisky then, I'm sure it will be again.
It's still good stuff, I'm sure you'll still love it. Cheers Jarrett! 🥃
One of my absolute favourite non peated whisky 😋
It's fantastic! 🥃
I haven’t tried Victoriana, never seen it in the liquor stores in the area where I live now and lived before I moved. I have experienced the Double Oak, the 15 and 25 year olds (didn’t have to pay for the 25 y.o., god bless friends!). I do like all of them but to my taste I think the Double Oak is the best value for money.
Not my favourite, but it's good and affordable. Really solid bang-for-buck! 🥃
Thanks very much for your review. It was great. However I personally believe that this version of Victoriana deserves at least a score of 90/91.
Totally fair! 🥃
In my market the Glen Scotia 15 YO (Bourbon w/ an Oloroso Finish) is significantly cheaper. I realize you are giving up some proof (51-56% v. 46%) and the 15 YO is a finish, v. the Victoriana's Ex-Bourbon & PX Sherry matured blend, but head to head what's your preference?
I much prefer the Victoriana. I have never really connected with the 15 in the way a lot of other seem to. Solid, but definitely not my favourite from the line. Cheers Allen! 🥃
How's glen scotia campbeltown 1832 ??
Haven't had it. I hear it's good.
Great review and observations. While I do think that Victoriana received slightly more praise than it deserves at the OSWAs, it's still a solid offering. And I do prefer it to the 18. Cheers 🥃
Wasn't what I voted for, but like you I think it's good stuff. The people have spoken! 🥃
Did oswa pick up the 51.5% version not this bottling (54.2)?
No the 54.2% bottle won it.
Tried this one and GS 18. Prefer 18yo as well. Once again personal preference. I would love to see natural colour Glen Scotia 15yo. I believe they add E150.
Yeah Glen Scotia is inconsistent with specs. I'd love to see them go 100% natural on all their products. 🥃
Nice review G. I have this on order since I'm curious what the hubbub is all about. Does it taste any less or more mature than the 15? How would you compare the Victoriana with the Loch Lomond 18?
It tastes about as mature as the 15. The Victoriana isn't quite as "dirty" as the Loch Lomond 18, but it's got a bit more weight and texture. Very different whiskies and both extremely unique. 🥃
I don't wish to be critical of the OSWAS (I voted) but, I have to say, I don't think it's everything it's cracked out to be. Too many categories had highly predictable nominations and it was really like an online community echo chamber. I really appreciate the effort of Roy and Ralfy but I think the format needs to change if it's going to keep me interested next year. Springbank, for example, will win best distillery next year and in perpetuity. They aren't necessarily the best distillery at all but the ludicrous and uncritical hype that surrounds them, amplified by short supply, make it a certainty. Deanston had a couple of nominations too - Deanston! Arran 10 was also utterly predictable. Ditto: If Victoriana is the best whisky out there the moon is made of cheese.
It could be me of course. I think I'm moving further and further away from mainstream opinion about whisky matters. I first tried Victoriana at a Tasting a number of years ago. I think it had just launched. It was okay but I wasn't that impressed. To this day I'm still irritated that it doesn't have an age statement. We have a right to know what we're paying for when a bottle costs £75. It was all part of the NAS craze which was designed to sell us younger whisky for old prices. "It's what's in the bottle that matters" - Yeah. I do think I need to give this another go and it's been kind of on my radar for a while. The 18 has increased in price and costs more than £100 now so that's probably a thing of the past.
Cheers Geoff. Great review as always. WT
Don't take this the wrong way, WT, but I think you're being a bit cynical here. By nature the OSWAs are going to drift towards the centre of what most whisky lovers appreciate-such is the nature of a democratic voting system. If you're there looking for obscure or non-mainstream whiskies then of course it's not going to deliver. No reason we can't celebrate the whiskies that are high quality, widely available, and well presented.
My first experience with the Victoriana wasn't a very positive one, either. I've had two bottles since and I thoroughly enjoy it now. No guarantees that that'll be the case for you, but I think it warrants a revisit. Agree that a stated age would be nice. Cheers buddy. 🥃
@@Gwhisky I appreciate that I do come off a bit cynical in that comment and I was aware of that when I posted. I really don't want to be but there's a lot to be cynical about. 18 year old whisky is becoming more and more expensive and increasingly hard to justify. We've had conversations about 12 year old whisky being overpriced. I'm finding it harder and harder to keep a cool head when there is so much BS coming from the corporate ownership of distilleries these days. Most of my interest is coming from Independent bottles now. Those single cask bottles are far easier to find than anything from Springbank distillery. I love Springbank but they can hardly be called a people's distillery when people can't buy it. They are not available and I don't think they should be on the OSWAs list until they are. Cynicism to one side, I do enjoy the OSWAs but I think there's room for improvement as it develops and I'm sure that will be the case.
You're not the only cynical one: I did vote again this year, but didn't bother watching the results 'show'. Having now looked up the winners, I'm not surprised, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that I am not part of the target audience...
I agree with most of ur frustration and def wld like to see them do smthg about repeat winners. I think the Ralfy & Roy “integrity” movement is important but at the same time I am getting very tired of the preaching to the choir and the self-justifying statistical analysis. If that continues much longer I will start to tune out but am hoping everyone just leaves the preaching to lower than rant levels and rewards the integrity bottlings with positive reviews instead of focusing on the releases that lack said integrity.
Interesting thoughts. I think for the most Roy and Ralfy have done an amazing job and you will never please everyone. I think potentially opening up the categories to 10 or 12 optioms might please more people. It was very predictable that Arran 10 won again which makes it seem like its in a league of its own winning two years running. I would have take any of the other options over the Arran 10 to be honest.
Got one of these a year or more ago. It's good but didn't really connect with it. Kind of reminds me of what Laphroig has done with Lore. An engineered Whisky made with different age casks. Cheers
I find that to be the case with the 15, but not this one. Cheers Tim! 🥃
ive had adjectivy stuff before. its good, i'll grant ya.
Should I buy the Victoriana or the Glen Scotia Single Malt Festival Edition 2023?
I've not tried the 2023 release, so unfortunately I can't comment. 🥃
I just bought a bottle for my mum's husband for Christmas.
Geln Scotia 15 n Victoriana 51.5% old version both have a warm glue water note which I don't like, never get another GS since…
Sorry to hear you don't like it.
Dollar for dollar, I think Victoriana is the very best whisky being bottled in Scotland today, and that's at any age or at any price.
It's at the pinnacle of my high-value whiskies in 2022; a group which also includes Craigellachie 13, Port Charlotte 10, Glenmorangie 14, and Laphroaig 10 CS.
Or if I was on a very tight budget and still wanted a solid cross section of Scotch profiles: Loch Lomond 12 (complex), Glencadam 10 (standard), Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair (Sherried), and Ardbeg 5 (peated).
Can't argue with that. You like it more than I do, but it's definitely a standout when it comes to flavour and value. Damn good stuff.
@@Gwhisky Do you have an opinion on the best Scotch being bottled today?
@@MrChristopherMolloy The BEST? Man I wouldn't even know where to start!
@@Gwhisky ...and there's a new video. 😉
I'm torn about whether to get a bottle of the Victoriana and the comments here doesn't help. In my market it costs all of C$130 while the Kilkerran 12 is C$100. I'm not sure I want tl pay the premium for an "award winner" whisky. These days I've been trying to aquire unusual malts and have been successful in finding independent bottlings of Auchroisk, Fettercairn, Blair Athol, Mannochmore, and blends like Orchard House that contain Clynelish, Linkwood, and Benrinnes. Just the other day I found a cask strength Glenlossie for C$82 and am seriously thinking of getting a second bottle of it instead of a Victoriana which costs an extra C$50.
In any case I enjoyed your video and also the OSWA. If anything it spurred me on to buying my first ever bourbon, the Wild Turkey Rare Breed, of course the fact that it was on sale for C$50 played no small role.
That's pretty pricey for Victoriana. Personally I like the Kilkerran 12 more. 🥃
I have a bottle of SpringBank 12 100% ex-bourbon and I prefer my bottle of Victoriana 54.2%
Just catching up that this won, can’t believe it, the bottle I had I ended up tipping the last bit down the sink. Wanted to like it after all the hype but it was just rough and unpleasant.
A few people have reacted negatively to this one. I felt similarly about my first bottle. Not sure if it's a batch thing or a taste thing, but hey it won't be for everyone. Cheers Sid. 🥃
Add more water.
I felt exactly the same as you. I enjoy almost all of my whisky at CS, and rarely have trouble with a “challenging whisky”. It took consuming 2/3 of this bottle, and sitting on the shelf for well over a year before it became tamed enough to be drinkable without drowning it in water. It was an inferno of heat on the back of the throat. One of the most unpleasant CS whisky experiences I’ve had. Not surprised to hear that some had dumped it. I nearly did. Buyers regret with this one.
Malt activist made a good point about potentially people associating Victoriana with the 51.5% bottling and not the 54.2% bottling potentially. He also felt the 54.2% was not as good.
I haven't tried it but I have a 54.8% Batch 001 on the way to see how that compares also. Cheers!
Yeah I saw his videos on the the modern version and the mini he had of the older one. While I like the newer one more than he does, he and I both seem to agree that the older lower-abv stuff was better. I don't know much about the 54.8% version, but I'm sure it's delicious. Most of my bottles of Victoriana have been good. Cheers! 🥃
I understand all the uniqueness that you are talking about, but about the mustiness and some leather note, those are quite challenging. I leave my half bottle on the shelf untouched for half a year and see if my taste may change to appreciate it again in the future. For now, not connected with this one.
That's fair. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's for everyone. 🥃
It already got an award😂
Grabbed the older 51.5% for $59us..no tax last one on shelf...give it a try...Clynelish 14 for $39us no shit...last one and the elusive Glenfarclas 15.. 46%.....next store tomorrow..
Johnny has unicorns...
Great whiskies at great prices. Johnny's the man! 🥃
How much are people paying for this to decide if it's a good value? It's $100 (US) or more by me.
You hypester you...
Definitely top of the GS range for me. 18 comes a close second. I was extremely underwhelmed by their "award winning" 25. It was a disappointment.
The Victoriana shines as a unique dram. I suspect they have vatted some older whiskies in here. I get the lovely, dry tannic note that we can associate with older maturation. So yes, very "adjective-y". Ha!
Haven't had their peated 8 PX cask. On my radar.
Agree! I haven't reviewed the 8 yet but I've got it on the go and it's fantastic. Its actually quite close the Victoriana in a lot of ways, but with a nice peaty kick and some sherry notes. The PX doesn't overwhelm and it isn't too sweet. You might enjoy it! 🥃
こんなにウイスキーを飲みたくなる動画もない！^_^
ウイスキーを買ってしまうのは問題だがw
I don't regret buying it, but probably will opt for something else next time. There's a LOT of alcohol in the nose, albeit it got better after breathing a while. It is spicy and interesting, but... price range, one could buy other whisky and bourbon that can offer more.
UPDATE: After a couple days of breathing it became better. Water makes the alcohol feels stronger and the aroma thinner, so I'd take it straight.
Mine took a while to open up as well. It was at its best after well over a month of being popped. Glad to hear you're starting to warm up to it. Cheers Anna! 🥃
LOL bro, are you experimenting with a new editing technique? It is weird. Please go back to previous with no talk-overs! Otherwise a good review. I have a 2020 bottling and it is just from memory but I am going to revisit it soon because of you
Just trying to tighten up the videos with less and make them more concise. I think your 2020 should be the 54.2% strength. Either way you can't go wrong with this one, newer or older. Cheers.
got my bottle ...for christmas
Awesome!
Gummy bear finish
Hah I'll check for that. 🥃
Going on a whisky safari tomorrow...turns out my hotel is one block from the store that has Victoriana...I wanted to tell you I was killing a Deanston 12 the other night and I got your soapy note...laughed my balls off... 2023...whisky..not women...
Hah so I'm not crazy! It's there! 🥃
@@Gwhisky i found it 2 times..not a bad dish soap...go buy more...
I personally think Glen Scotia 15 is much better
Fair enough! 🥃
ah ah, when I saw the title I thought "88" ... that's what I reckon it'll be / what I would score...bingo 😀!
"Macerated strawberries with balsamic vinegar and pepper" would be my pretentious tasting notes 😉
Hah love those tasting notes! Glad to hear we're on the same page. Great minds or something... 🥃🥃🥃
@@Gwhisky great video as usual, will catch up with everything at some point!
suggestion : a google spreadsheet doc with your whiskies/score/ link to the videos ?
@@tomtomtommyism Yeah but my scores are always changing. It's a good idea and you're not the first to ask for it....
@@Gwhisky you could put a "original score" and "update/mind changed" columns
@@tomtomtommyism I'd definitely need an "updated score" category. 🥃
Brand new to your channel. Subscribed. Really enjoy the obvious honesty and humor. Which does not really go with your ... shall we say 'antiseptic' presentation. Sorry. Too white, to minimalistic and if I had just looked and not actually stopped and listened ... I would have passed. That said, I believe you. There's no 'flannel' here. Straight forward and to the point. And most of all I appreciate your pace, though still a bit frantic for me is still much more subdued compared to some of your compatriots who literally make me want to click off inside of 20 seconds. I'll be back.
Well I appreciate your bluntness. As it happens, I'm in the midst of planning out a new set with new equipment. With any luck the channel will have a more professional look within the coming few weeks. Welcome to the channel, Reed! Glad you're enjoying the content. 🥃
@@Gwhisky Oh Good. Somewhere between First Phil and ralfy I hope. 😁 First Phil must be a professional video editor. I can't imagine how much time and effort he puts into his videos. Doubt his efforts could possibly have a big cost/benefit ratio to the positive. 🤔 ralfy on the other hand ....
@@nohandle257 Hah yeah Phil's a video guy. And you're right his edits are amazing. My setup will likely just be a few shelves in the background and some slicker lighting. Also, you might have noticed my 4k resolution doesn't actually look 4k. All of that will be fixed soon (hopefully). Cheers.
88 is to low . . . 94
Generous, but glad you're loving it! 🥃
I voted, but not for this. Too adjectivey!
😂😂😂
Overhyped whisky of the year.