Back to the future with a new Campbeltown winner.

Distilling in the Kintyre Peninsula dates back more than 400 years to 1609. The hamlet of Campbeltown was founded in 1832 and quickly became known as “The Whisky Capital of the World.” The era of Prohibition and the subsequent emergence of Highland Single Malt dominance ended the reign of Campbeltown.

Glen Scotia is a more recent branding by the Loch Lomond Group in an effort to recreate the magic of Campbeltown’s bygone era. Glen Scotia Double Cask is a classic Campbeltown Single Malt that ages first in first-fill ex-Bourbon Barrels and is finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. 

This particular Whisky passes the taste bud test and is winning all kinds of awards — including a gold medals at the San Francisco Spirits Competition and at this year’s World Whisky Awards.

Hats off to Kilkerran, who is an all-rounder in flavours. Smoky, savoury, sweet, and spicy all checked with just the right balance.

Precision is its middle name. Released in 2016, the Kilkerran is bottled exactly 12 years after the first drop in 2004. 70% of this lightly peated whisky is aged in ex-bourbon barrels. 30% in ex-sherry casks. The colour we see is au naturel, and the Single Malt is not chill-filtered. It’s as authentic as whisky can get.

Kilkerran is a Gaelic name for the first settlement in Campbeltown, then known as Ceann Loch Cille Chiara, where the devout monk Saint Karren had his religious cell.

Third is a charm for this Campbeltown dram. The 10-year-old is part of the Hazelburn core range that’s famously known for triple-distilled Single Malt scotches. It is beautifully aged in bourbon casks, giving it that mild vanilla taste. The Hazelburn range is one of the three distinct whisky styles from Springbank distillery.