Glen Scotia Distillery has launched the first in a new five-part limited-edition annual series ‘The Icons of Campbeltown’ in celebration of the Campbeltown community and inspired by the iconic Campbeltown market cross.
Each release will be based on icons which were intricately carved by unknown hands into the face of the medieval cross once found in the centre of the town, which dates from the 14th century and was a historic meeting point for celebration and storytelling.
Saints, beasts, heroes and their foes are said to vividly capture tales of Campbeltown’s prevailing spirit, creativity, and history – much like the Glen Scotia story.
The first release, The Mermaid, is a 12-year-old unpeated single malt. Aged in ex-bourbon barrels, the liquid was then transferred into Palo Cortado finishing casks for a further eight months.
Diving into Campbeltown’s mythical past, the team at Glen Scotia pieced together historical information which detailed local sightings of mermaids along the coast, before crafting a whisky whose flavour profile would pay homage to this maritime myth.
The result is a whisky with a sweet and nutty character interwoven with subtle maritime nuances, bracing Atlantic Sea breeze notes on the nose and a signature Glen Scotia saltiness on the palate.
While they found various sightings of sea maidens reported around Campbeltown’s coves and beaches throughout history, one sighting in particular was eerily detailed and substantiated by various community members.
On a cold October night in 1811, when distilling in town was growing to new heights, young townsman John McIsaac recalled a two-hour encounter with a half-human, half-amphibious being, which remains one of the most recounted and least contested mermaid sightings on record.
Glen Scotia’s latest release reawakens the legendary story with master blender Michael Henry, along with the Glen Scotia team, carefully crafting a liquid with characteristics which reflect the marine setting of the distillery and this first icon.
Beautifully presented in a bespoke box, Glen Scotia has collaborated with internationally renowned illustrator and artist, Joel Holtzman, the master behind several fantastical characters created for the likes of LucasFilm, Marvel and Macmillan Publishing, to create a series of stunning new pack design for the Icons collection.
Custodians can witness the mermaid scene reimagined through a new on-pack experience, accessed through a QR code, which links to an animation and story book of the tale of the mermaid in Campbeltown.
Iain McAlister, distillery manager and master distiller at Glen Scotia, said: “The Mermaid is a wonderful release that serves as a reminder of the sea and tropical climate that shape our award-winning whisky.
“Our local community has played a huge role in the survival and re-emergence of whisky-making in Campbeltown, and the market cross remains an important historic symbol of that enduring spirit.
“We’re all proud to be able to release a series of single malt whiskies that pays homage to those that have supported us on the journey.”