Glen Scotia unveils Oldest Ever Whisky

Glen Scotia has gone and done it – released the oldest whisky in its history.

Introducing Elements of Campbeltown Release Number One: Air – a 50-year-old single malt, bottled in 2024 at cask strength (42.3% ABV) and limited to just 100 decanters worldwide.

It spent five decades in a refill American oak hogshead, absorbing the salty breeze of the maritime whisky town to create something that’s not just rare – it’s elemental.

A Breath of Campbeltown

At least, that’s what we’re told. We haven’t tasted this whisky and, due to its rarity, few will. But the press release informs us this whisky is the first chapter in Glen Scotia’s new Elements of Campbeltown collection. The Celtic five-fold knot inspired the range: earth, water, fire, air, and spirit.

Each release will explore how these forces shape the distillery’s whisky. Air is a fitting opener. The whisky was matured entirely in Campbeltown’s coastal climate in Glen Scotia’s dunnage warehouse, where salty sea air and heavy spirit vapours have danced for generations.

Distilled in 1973, this whisky’s character has been shaped more by patience and place than flashy finishes. That’s intentional, according to Loch Lomond Group master blender Michael Henry, who calls the release a “privilege” and an exercise in knowing when to act – and more importantly, when not to. “Matured exclusively in American oak, with its more subtle, supportive cask influence, the character shines through,” he explains. No rush, no gimmicks. Just time and good sense.

Tasting Notes – Glen Scotia 50 Year Old

Nose: Soft layers of flaked almonds, vanilla fudge, and Scotch tablet, drifting into coconut and the distillery’s telltale maritime notes – think salt crystals, boat varnish, sweet seaweed. There’s apple tart, a dash of ginger, and an unmistakable Campbeltown whiff of old warehouses and Atlantic air.

Palate: Creamy and elegant, starting sweet and turning savoury. There’s a saline snap mid-palate, white pepper heat, and powdered ginger before it mellows into coconut and a faint tang of tart fruit. Reduced, it goes gentler on the spice and brings more sweetness to the fore.

The “Art of Air”

Glen Scotia brought in UK artist Gina Parr to interpret the theme of ‘air’ in visual form. She visited Campbeltown and was taken by the textures, the atmosphere, and the overwhelming sense of place. She produced a custom oil painting inspired by the salty breeze and spirit vapours of the dunnage warehouse, reproduced on the doors of each display cabinet.

The cabinet itself is made from ash and birch with coastal tones and an amber accent. Inside is a bespoke Glencairn crystal decanter adorned with a brass Celtic knot stopper. Inside that: white leather, storytelling, and 50 years of history. Oh, and whisky, obviously.

Glen Scotia unveils Oldest Ever Whisky

Since 1832, Glen Scotia has been crafting whisky in Campbeltown. The town once boasted more than 30 distilleries, and while more are on the way, for a long time now it’s been just three.

But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in identity. Glen Scotia continues to produce both peated and unpeated spirit, sticking with traditional methods and much of its original distillery layout, including the 1830s stillroom and dunnage warehouse. The result is a style that’s subtly maritime, unmistakably Campbeltown, and increasingly rare.

Distillery manager Iain McAlister sums it up: “‘Air’ is a masterpiece sculpted by the elements for half a century… remarkable to think about all the hands this 50-year-old would have passed through, each inheriting it and opting to let it continue its journey beyond them.”

Availability

Only 100 individually numbered decanters of Glen Scotia Elements of Campbeltown Release No.1: Air exist.

It’s priced at £35,000 and will be available from select specialist retailers soon…

You can purchase Glen Scotia’s new Festival Release 2025 right now, however. By doing so, you could win a bottle of Glen Scotia 25 Year Old!

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