Glen Scotia 2013 Thompson Bros
Bottled for Dornoch Castle | 57.1% ABV
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
You guess from the label this’ll be a gem, and yeah, it is
Relief, Reflection & Recognition
This past Friday I sat in the quiet at my kitchen island, deep in thought.
The weather here in eastern North Carolina is, rather shockingly, cold. We knew that winters in North Carolina would still be cool, but we didn’t believe the weather would be anywhere near that which we left in Connecticut.
In fact, the winter of 2025-26 has been one for the record books. The forecast was for a foot of snow to drop over the weekend – something that has not happened in these parts for almost fifty years. History has shown that, in most years, our part of eastern North Carolina doesn’t see one snow flake. This influx of Connecticut winter weather here has left Mrs. Shaw apoplectic. She has voiced all measures of blue language throughout this winter. To that end, my neighbors necessarily not only worry about the snow but also the building blizzard of ripe vitriol that will undoubtedly come from my better half.
Which brings me back to the tranquillity of my kitchen island. Before the snow was to hit, my wife met up with a bunch of friends downtown for drinks and laughs. I was home, having appreciated the first week officially separated from the shackles from my prior employment. I sat for a while in the silence and rather enjoyed it.
The uncoupling from my prior employment did not go as smoothly as expected due to a number of reasons – and I now recognize those reasons were also symptoms of what had become an untenable work environment. When I left my office key on my desk, taped to a note to the HR/Office Manager, I felt the first breath of relief in quite a while. It was the sloughing off of litigation which was not aligning well with my well-being. It was also shedding the ever-present grime and angst – the toxicity of that office – and I smiled.
It turns out that despite my suggestions as to how best to provide a smooth transition for clients these were cast aside by those in my office’s Ivory Tower. They chose expediency over care. Many of my clients reached out to me directly to ask what was going on, worried about their cases and how their needs would be met. I tried to assure them as much as I could, but the manner with which this Tower moved cared not a lick about the client – and that was the latest, and last, demonstration of what had been a source of friction between me and them since I first started. The Tower did what it always did, making a series of callous moves both with my clients and with me.
Leaving that environment was truly more needed than I had realized.
And so, free of the angst and stress, I found myself happily unemployed. Other than times when I was on vacation or ill, it had been more than three decades since I was home as of 9:00am and not going into work. Not going to work in the morning is equal parts odd, gleeful, and strange. I will not be retired for long, as moss has little chance on this rolling stone. I have some pokers in a few different fires, and those fires will need to be stoked to ensure things get to where they need to be. But, I am blessed not to have to rush to start work immediately and, for now, I’m in the quiet, reflective period.
I mentioned in my Glasgow Distillery Exclusive review that, in 2025, I had the utter pleasure to meet four other Dramfacers in person. I do hope that the text from that review relayed at least a portion of the elation and joy I experienced breaking bread with those folks. Truly remarkable. It was remarkable because of the personable wit, humor, and camaraderie shown to a soul washing up on their shores with whom they had not previously met. But, as I sat at my kitchen island, my thoughts turned to my time in Glasgow this past October, and in particular to my friend, Stevie.
Upon our first meeting in my hotel’s lobby, Stevie – who had never met me before that day – handed me a gift. I looked in the bag and for a split second I had a charge of surprise and I am sure my face flushed. We all were laughing, sharing stories, introductions having been made that turned into conversations . . . and I tried to express the thanks that surely would not fully encompass my gratitude, but expressing my thanks was curtailed.
Just as I started to thank Stevie, it appeared all of us were in motion, coordinating efforts to head out for dinner and then drinks. My wife and I went back up to our room to deposit a few things, including Stevie’s gift, and when we returned to the lobby the Dramface crew were up and about ready to make the walk to the restaurant. I never did get the full chance through the night to pull Stevie aside to thank him for his generosity.
I had saved the uncorking of this bottle for a special occasion. Last week sitting in the quiet, knowing I was free from thirty-four years of divorce litigation that was impacting my health, appreciating that I had made final separation from a toxic workplace that only exacerbated the effect of the work I had done, and in full reflection of a golden soul I met for all of six or seven hours of time while in Glasgow... It was the night to uncork and give thanks.
Review
Glen Scotia 2013, 11yo, Thompson Bros, bottled for 25 year anniversary of Dornoch Castle ownership by the Thompson family, matured in a first-fill barrel, 1 of 235 bottles, bottled 2025, 57.1% ABV
£70 approx. now sold out
When I saw the label, I knew this bottle was more than special. A Thompson Bros. release and a Glen Scotia single cask filled in 2013? Oh my.
It would seem this bottle is one of the releases to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Thompson family’s ownership of Dornoch Castle Hotel, a spot that has since become a destination of pilgrimage for so many whisky enthusiasts heading north towards Sutherland in Scotland.
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
You guess from the label this’ll be a gem, and yeah, it is
Nose
Beeswax candles. Honey and salinity. Ruby grapefruit. Fruit salad in a heavy cling. Freshly cut ripe nectarines. Browned butter. Those honey and salt notes weave through it all. And, somewhere in the background is something verdant…something springlike and freshly green.
Palate
English toffee. Honey glazed donuts. A touch of marzipan. The fruit salad and nectarines are here. A hint of ginger. Custard. This morphs mid-palate with some building warmth with a hint of white pepper, a slight touch of the ruby grapefruit pith, and almond butter. The texture is silky and luscious. From seemingly nowhere comes a hint of banana creme. The finish builds with warm prickliness under my tongue and in my cheeks. The combination of toffee, fruit salad, and almond butter slowly retreat into the prickly warmth of white pepper and ginger in an elegant manner. Breathing in stokes the warmth not unlike billows in the fireplace, and that finish and warmth continues on and on.
The Dregs
This bottle is lovely. While one cannot guarantee results from looking at a bottle’s label, as I mentioned above, just seeing this bottle coming from the Thompson Brothers and that it was an eleven year old single cask of Glen Scotia – yeah, I knew this would be a gem. And, it is. Full stop.
That I have this bottle is an embarrassment of riches. That I am surrounded by such amazing whisky folk is also an embarrassment of riches that I do not take for granted. I have no idea how much this bottle costs, and I haven’t taken the time to find it online to include a score here (if there is a price attached to this review it was put there by one of our editors). I am already humbled by the gift, as I appreciate how rare and special this expression is from a wonderful independent bottler. Remember, this gift came from a gent with whom I had not previously physically crossed paths. Embarrassment of riches, indeed.
If you are able to find this bottling, don’t hesitate to pick it up (of course, I have no idea of the price, so it’s easy for me to make that statement). If you do find one of these bottles and the price is in your wheelhouse – or even slightly above what you might think to pay – this bottle will not disappoint. The magic of the Glen Scotia distillate is handled with care. It shines as I sip it. This whisky is simply from a first-fill barrel. It has not been finished, tinkered with or (as Wally might say) footered with in any way with hidden gimmicks. This is as good an example of what solid distillate - aged for a decade or so in a solid first-fill barrel - can do.
Scoring this has been somewhat of a challenge. My gut tells me this is an 8/10. But, in looking at the Dramface scoring guide, I see an 8/10 is “something special” and “beautiful whisky to savour”, but also “well worth purchasing at the retail price”. As I don’t know what this bottle costs, I am at a loss. Looking at what 7/10 whisky is, the scoring guide says it is “very good indeed” and “well above average” having given us real pleasure. It clears the 7/10 bar, for sure. So, the only hedging I have is not knowing the price of the bottle. With the understanding that I have no idea of the price for this bottle, I am going with my gut and scoring this an 8/10.
If/when you come across this bottle and if it is (as I might fear/suspect) rather north of your wallet’s comfort zone, perhaps it is a 7/10 per the scoring guide. However, my gut wins the day here.
One week later.
The past week has come and gone, as has the foot of snow that we did indeed receive. Mrs. Shaw is a bit hoarse from the winter weather vitriol and has gone to bed a bit early and, once again, I find myself back at the kitchen island with this lovely bottle. I have come back to it a few times over the past week, and the 8/10 scoring has only been reinforced. As I did last week from the same chair, I have slowly gone through a dram or two as I continue to unpack everything in my head. Really good whisky enables me to do that.
I am thankful for the opportunity to have represented so many people over the course of thirty-four years. I am thankful to have had the benefit to practice in front of so many good judges. And, the thirty-four years were also made special by sharing the time with a good number of wonderful colleagues. I am also thankful for the ability to step away as I listen to my body and my health. And, as I drain the last dregs from the dram in my glass, I continue to be thankful for Stevie’s wit, humor, and his amazingly generous heart.
Tomorrow is a new day with new challenges and new opportunities, and I plan on enjoying and making the most of my pivots. But, tomorrow is also one day closer to my return to Scotland where I’ll make the most of my time with many more wonderful whisky folk – and Stevie will be forefront of that list.
Score: 8/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. OS
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