Multi-award award winning distillery Glen Scotia has revealed its limited-edition single malt whisky in celebration of the Campbeltown Malts Festival which draws whisky lovers from around the world to visit the region each May.
Glen Scotia’s annual festival bottlings have built a reputation for bold, intriguing flavours and the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 release continues this tradition.
Aged for seven years, this medium-peated single malt was matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before being finished for six months in ruby port casks.
The distinctive dual cask maturation has resulted in big flavours of ripe red fruit, gentle sweet peat and warming spice, carried on a rich, coastal undertone that reflects Glen Scotia’s maritime trade history.
Once known as the ‘Victorian whisky capital of the world’, Campbeltown is a place steeped in rich whisky heritage.
Hailing from what is now Scotland’s smallest whisky-producing region, Glen Scotia’s small team preserves traditional methods, using small stills to create big Campbeltown flavours and making big waves at big international awards.
The Campbeltown Malts Festival is a flagship event in Glen Scotia’s calendar, welcoming thousands of visitors each year to experience the distillery’s big Campbeltown character and the warmth and generosity of the ‘Wee Toon’.
The 2026 festival edition celebrates not only the whisky itself, but also the people who define the town’s resilient character.
Presented in a premium navy blue box, the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 Release also features a unique on-pack experience.
By scanning a QR code on the box, whisky fans can step inside the distillery and meet members of the Glen Scotia team whose craft, passion and pride bring to life its big Campbeltown character.
Available to purchase online and in specialist retailers globally, Glen Scotia’s Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 release is non-chill filtered, bottled at cask strength (53.9% ABV) and will retail for £59.
Ashley Smith, master blender at Glen Scotia, said: “This year’s Festival Release is a true celebration of Glen Scotia’s big Campbeltown character.
"It offers Glen Scotia's distinctive maritime salinity, which is complemented with layers of gentle peat, and vibrant red fruit and warming spice brought by the ruby port cask finish. It’s a whisky that evolves on the palate and brings an element of surprise.
“The Campbeltown Malts Festival is always a special time for us, when the town comes alive with visitors from around the world. With this year’s on-pack experience, we’re giving people a glimpse inside the distillery in our remote corner of Scotland and the people whose passion shapes every drop.
“Campbeltown may be small, but it has a big personality and a proud heritage. This year’s festival bottling is our way of capturing that spirit in the glass for our community to enjoy.”
Glen Scotia’s Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 events (19 and 20 May) will explore the distillery’s rich whisky-making heritage. A selection of ticketed and free events will delve into the town’s storied past, offering visitors the chance to explore and learn about some of Glen Scotia’s finest drams.
Guests at this year’s festival will get a taste of Glen Scotia’s character through a range of workshops including ‘Big Campbeltown Character’, which will explore the tropical fruit, coastal notes and oily texture of the new Glen Scotia 12 Year Old with Loch Lomond Group’s master blender Michael Henry.
A ‘Deconstructed Festival Release 2026’ tasting will see Glen Scotia brand ambassador Gary Mills reveal the craftsmanship behind this year’s limited-edition release, and ‘Port to Port’ will trace Campbeltown’s maritime past with Glen Scotia’s master blender Ashley Smith, showing how sherry, rum and wine casks continue to shape Glen Scotia’s style.
For further information on the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2026 release or this year’s festival, visit www.glenscotia.com/ .
