Glen Scotia 12 year old Icons of Campbeltown No. 4 - The Griffin Release

Profile: An Overview of the Glen Scotia 12 year old Icons of Campbeltown No. 4 - The Griffin Release

• Glen Scotia 12 year old – The Griffin Release: Who guards the liquid gold of Campbeltown?
• The fourth limited-edition bottling in the five-part "Icons of Campbeltown" series
• Aged for twelve years, followed by a twelve-month finishing period in rare Vin Santo wine casks
• Vin Santo Cask Finish – A tribute to the traditional sweet wine from Tuscany
• Campbeltown’s whisky history meets Italian wine culture and local folklore
• Bottled at cask strength, non-chill filtered, and free from added coloring

Portrait: What makes the Glen Scotia 12 year old Icons of Campbeltown No. 4 - The Griffin Release special

A mythical creature guards the liquid gold of Campbeltown.
Half eagle, half lion—and clearly possessing an exceptionally keen instinct for whisky—the Griffin has returned! With the fourth release in its popular "Icons of Campbeltown" series, Glen Scotia presents a very special bottling dedicated to a legendary mythical creature from local folklore. Named "The Griffin," this 12-year-old single malt—set to launch in 2026 as a strictly limited edition—forges an intriguing link between Scottish whisky tradition and Italian wine culture.

Glen Scotia is based in Campbeltown, a small port town on Scotland’s Kintyre Peninsula. The town was once considered the whisky capital of the world; during its Victorian heyday, it was home to more than 30 active distilleries. Today, only a few remain—among them Glen Scotia, which, having been founded in 1832, ranks as one of the region’s most historic distilleries. To this day, Campbeltown retains its status as a distinct Scottish whisky region—small, yet by no means insignificant.

The griffin plays a special role in local legend. High above the rooftops and the harbor, he is said to have circled, keeping a constant, watchful eye over the city’s most precious commodity: the liquid gold from its local distilleries. After all, someone had to look after the whisky as it began its journey from the harbor out into the wider world—a task you probably wouldn’t entrust to just any feathered creature.

For this fourth edition, the twelve-year-old Glen Scotia was matured in the traditional manner before undergoing a twelve-month finish in rare Vin Santo wine casks from Tuscany. Vin Santo—literally “holy wine”—is made from dried grapes and is a traditional Italian dessert wine known for its distinctive golden hue. In this way, the Scottish gold finds itself in distinctly Italian company.

This 2026 limited edition thus weaves together Campbeltown’s storied whisky heritage, a unique cask maturation process, and a generous dash of folklore. A fitting tribute to the Griffin—and a whisky that even a mythical creature would surely want to take a closer look at.

Tasting Notes: This is how the Glen Scotia 12 year old Icons of Campbeltown No. 4 - The Griffin Release tastes like

• Nose: On the nose, this Glen Scotia is pleasantly opulent, offering rich caramel, sweet, syrupy dried apricots, and candied red apple—an inviting blend of fruity sweetness and delicate caramel notes.
• Palate: The palate reveals a complex interplay of winter baking spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, complemented by roasted hazelnuts, dried apple peels, and the slightly bitter edge of dark cocoa beans. It is an intriguing combination of spicy depth and fruity accents.
• Finish: The finish surprises with a subtle, bitter orange note, accompanied by zesty citrus peel and caramelized oak. Sweet hints of crème brûlée round off the experience elegantly, leaving a long-lasting, harmonious impression.