Decadent Drinks Glen Toon

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Decadent Drinks

Decadent Drinks is an independent bottler of spirits including whisky, gin, cognac and Armagnac. Based in Perth, in the heart of Scotland, the company releases new bottlings monthly. These can be purchased directly from the website or acquired from specialist retailers.

Decadent Drinks was founded in 2020, with the role of “public face” falling to director, Angus MacRaild. Those in the know will recognise Angus from his work with Whiskyfun and his brilliant satirical writings on Whiskysponge that took great pleasure in poking fun at a whisky industry all too often in love with its own importance.

Whisky Sponge also became the label under which Decadent Drinks bottled their whiskies but that’s all about to change with the launch of Whiskyland, a new series of drams that begins with Chapter One, a 26-year-old Springbank that weighs in at a whopping £975 a bottle.

That particular offering is ever so slightly beyond my means but an interesting sample of a Decadent Drinks dram has been lying dormant in my sample cupboard for a few months now (thanks to the nicest person in whisky, Julie Hamilton) and now seemed like an opportune time to give it a wee taste.

The whisky was released for the 2024 edition of the Campbeltown Malts Festival. It’s a single cask, single malt Scotch distilled at one of the town’s three active distilleries. The company’s website doesn’t hesitate to name Glen Scotia as the source.

Scotia was founded in 1832 and the “Glen” part was added later, for reasons unknown. The distillery certainly doesn’t reside in a glen. It lies at the heart of the wee toon, a short wander from Campbeltown Loch.

For many years, Scotia was the victim of a certain amount of derision, even mocked as the substandard neighbour of the ever-popular Springbank. That reputation was always a bit unfair but a lot has changed in recent years and the brand has really started to find its feet. The Glen Scotia single malt has gained recognition, thanks to a solid core range and some interesting limited edition releases.

It’s not all that common to find the Scotia name on an independent bottling so it’s always exciting when one comes along. High hopes then, for this Decadent Drinks Glen Toon.

*Full disclosure: the whisky featured in this article was sent to me free of charge. As always, I will strive to give an honest opinion on the quality of the dram and the value for money it represents.

Decadent Drinks Glen Toon Review

The whisky is 11 years old and was matured in a first-fill bourbon barrel. It’s bottled at the slightly reduced abv of 53%.

Tasting notes: The nose has honeyed malt, Hobnob biscuits and Chocolate Digestives. Lots of fruits – Pineapple, pears, oranges and apples. Grist. Muesli. Toffee popcorn. Toffee apples. Dark chocolate and Chocolate Oranges. Also a subtle wee coastal tinge there too. On the palate, there’s lots of citrus with orange and lemon. Runny honey. Malty biscuits. Buttery vanilla. Black pepper. Ginger. Oak char. Water brought out more apples along with peaches and nectarines.

Thoughts: The oiliness is the first thing I noticed on the palate. It’s got a lovely, natural weight to it. In the latter stages, it develops a strong oaky character but that never takes over completely and the citrusy, fruity vibe that was released by a drop of water balances it nicely. There are wee flashes of the distillery character throughout and at points, you can tell you’re in Campbeltown but this Glen Scotia has enough going on to keep things interesting. It isn’t always easy to offer big flavour and balance at the same time but this dram manages it admirably.

Price: £95. The Decadent Drinks Glen Toon may not reside in bargain territory but it’s a satisfying dram from a distillery that people can’t seem to get enough of. I suppose there’s also the added complication of it being a festival bottling, as well. A good dram, if maybe only one for the Campbeltown diehards (which, to be fair, is exactly who it was intended for).