🥃 Scapa Glansa
Scapa Glansa is a core Scapa single malt without an age statement: the Orkney distillery's first smoky release, 40% ABV, 2016; finished in casks that held peated whisky.
Scapa Glansa is the second core single malt expression from Scapa, the Orkney distillery, and its first smoky release; for fans of Scotch it is the Scapa to try if smoke is what you look for. According to Difford's Guide, it was introduced in October 2016; it is bottled at 40% ABV with no age statement. Tasting notes mention peach, vanilla, caramel and a soft smoke.
According to Spirituosen-Journal, the whisky first matures in first-fill bourbon casks and then in casks that once held peated whisky. Cool Hunting stresses that the smoke comes from the casks, not from peat in the malt, since Scapa does not peat its barley. Sources describe the first maturation slightly differently, so check the label of the specific batch.
Why this matters to you. If Scapa Skiren feels too gentle for you, Glansa adds light smokiness without the sharp peat of a classic peated whisky. It is a convenient first step towards the islands, where smoke becomes more pronounced. Under the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 it has at least three years in oak, even without an age statement. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | expression launched in 2016 (Difford's Guide, Spirituosen-Journal) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | unpeated barley malt |
| Distillation method | twice; Lomond-style wash still (Scapa, Orkney) |
| Cask type | American oak or bourbon casks, then casks that once held peated whisky (according to sources) |
| Minimum maturation | no age statement; by law at least 3 years in oak |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Scapa Glansa → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Scapa, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Scapa Skiren, 🥃 Scapa Skiren
Frequently asked questions
Is Scapa Glansa a peated whisky?
Not in the usual sense. According to Cool Hunting, the smokiness comes from casks that once held peated whisky, and Scapa does not peat its malt.
When was Scapa Glansa launched?
According to Difford's Guide, in October 2016; Spirituosen-Journal reported the launch in late September 2016.
What ABV is Scapa Glansa?
40% ABV according to Difford's Guide and Spirituosen-Journal.
What casks is Scapa Glansa matured in?
According to Spirituosen-Journal, first-fill bourbon casks and then casks that once held peated whisky. Sources describe the first maturation slightly differently, so check the batch label.
What is the difference between Scapa Glansa and Skiren?
Skiren is the unpeated expression with no smoke, matured in first-fill American oak. Glansa is the smoky one, with its smokiness coming from casks, not from peat.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol. 'Single malt' means malted barley and one distillery.
Similar
🥃 Scapa Skiren · 🥃 Ardmore Port Wood Finish · 🥃 Ardmore Legacy · 🥃 Kilchoman Machir Bay · 🥃 Kilchoman Sanaig · 🥃 Glen Grant 18 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Scapa Glansa (40 % ABV; first peated Scapa single malt, October 2016; finished in casks that held peated malt)
- Spirituosen-Journal: Scapa Glansa, Scapa's first peated single malt (40 %; first-fill bourbon casks, then peated-whisky casks; 26.09.2016)
- Cool Hunting: Scapa single malt on Orkney (Skiren 2015, first-fill American oak, 80 proof; Glansa 2016, ex-peated-whisky cask finish; unpeated malting; Lomond still)
- LCBO Whisky Shop: Scapa distillery feature (Skiren unpeated style; Glansa American oak then ex-peated casks)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)