Interesting and forgettable.

Here’s a party trick, make a whisky that on initial tasting really gets the nogin jogging and the tastebuds firing on all cylinders but after a short while settles down to become a rather forgettable and mundane dram. How’s that possible?

This is the first Scapa I’ve ever tasted and I have to admit, I was expecting something more characterful and interesting. The first few glasses delivered that, there’s all sorts of things going on in the glass (ignore the nose, it’s pretty but mundane), lemon rinds, altoids, fresh oak, some kind of orange oil way off in the background, vanilla and pepper. And then something changes.

I’m not sure what happens but it becomes rather dull and uninteresting. It’s not a bad whisky by any means but you get this distinct feeling that you’re drinking something without a discernible identity. It’s the kind of scotch to drink because you have to because it’s that or Bell’s, rather than you want to.

However, I won’t be deterred. This rather average NAS could very well be the worst thing Scapa do! Here’s hoping.

Nice smooth Orkney whisky. Despite seeming quite young, it slowly reveals a long finish with hazelnut and vanilla taste. Definitely worth a try.