Scapa 16 Year
The Scapa distillery is one of the most northern distilleries in Scotland, located in the Orkney islands. It is also one of the smallest, with only three staff on site (the manager operates out of Speyside, and the distillery itself is part of the Chivas Brothers branch of Pernod Ricard). Sadly, the small staffing means the distillery is closed to the public. The distillery used to be larger and produce several different offerings. Currently, all production goes into making the Scapa 16 that was launched in 2009. What kind of spirit is produced in a land where it is almost always ever-day or ever-night?
McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt
From one of the very few artisanal distilleries in the United States, McCarthy’s has only been in production since 2000. It hasn’t wasted any time, though, winning awards and other high marks in short order. McCarthy’s is also unique in that the whisky is made from peated malt imported from Islay, given that Oregon shares certain climate qualities with Scotland. The aging renders their young whisky surprisingly smooth.
Ardbeg Ardbog
One of Ardbeg’s annual Committee releases, the Ardbog was put out as a limited edition of 3000 bottles during the Islay Festival, celebrated by a worldwide Ardbog Day on June 1, 2013, before being sold more widely for a limited time. It’s name connotes the peat bogs scattered across Islay. The Ardbeg Ardbog is and remains to this day, for some of us here at Scotchology, a quintessential unicorn dram.