Scottish distiller, Glen Scotia, has partnered with London’s first dedicated sherry bar, Bar Pepito, to launch its new 12-year-old Seasonal Release (£80, 53.3% ABV), and explore the flavours of Andalusia featured in the dram.
Inspired by a winter’s day in Glen Scotia’s home, Campbeltown, the latest unpeated, cask strength, natural coloured release, available now, has been matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before a final twelve-month finish in Amontillado Sherry casks, which hail from the Montilla region of southern Spain.
Amontillado sherry starts as a Fino sherry before an ageing period of around ten years, which dissipates the ‘flor’, and through wood exposure and oxidation, produces a nutty, dry, and beautifully amber liquid.
The result for the Seasonal Release 2022 is a warm, nutty dram with lingering vanilla notes and a mildly dry finish. Subtle maritime nuances on the nose and palate are synonymous with the iconic Campbeltown malt style.
Working alongside Bar Pepito’s owner, Richard Bigg, and its Executive Chef, Nacho del Campo, Glen Scotia has explored the character of sherry and its exquisite flavour profile to craft a list of food accompaniments to enjoy alongside its latest expression.
Bar Pepito is the sister restaurant to Camino, also King’s Cross, which was borne after owner, Richard Bigg, travelled around Spain in his traditional Mini in the summer of 1984. The culture, people, and food & drink made an everlasting impression and a desire to create a piece of España back in the UK.
Chef Nacho del Campo joined Camino in 2008, and they opened Bar Pepito in 2010, after a career spanning 24 years working in Catalunya, Madrid, and Exeter. His passion for gastronomy paired with a love of sherry has accelerated the establishment to become one of the most sought-after authentic Spanish dining experiences in London.
Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832. The small town on the Kintyre peninsula on the west coast is one of the officially recognised and protected whisky regions of Scotland. Once home to over thirty whisky producers, and with a distillery on every corner, it was known as “the Victorian Whisky Capital of the World”. Only a few distilleries endured to the present day, and Glen Scotia stands proudly among the last of the many.
In 2021, Glen Scotia’s 25-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch whisky was awarded ‘Best In Show Whisky’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Later that year, Glen Scotia was named Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards. It is the first time a whisky distillery has received both accolades.
In 2022, Glen Scotia’s Victoriana won Best In Class in the Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
The Seasonal Release 2022 retails at £80 and is available for purchase from the Glen Scotia website (www.glenscotia.com) and through UK specialist retailers.
