Scapa 26 Year Old 1977 L'Ecailler du Palais Royal

This Scapa is wrapped in mystery. I mean, I cannot find much about it. Apparently 213 bottles this 26 Year Old Scapa from 1977 were bottled by Ian McLeod’s for the Brussels restaurant L’Ecallier du Palais Royal. This is a five star joint known for its caviar, oysters, lobster and fish, where captains of industry and diplomats meet for lunch or dinner. You could run into the Belgian Prime Minister, Bill Gates or Bruce Springsteen when visiting. Oh, before you run head over heels towards Brussels… the whisky is long gone. And I have only seen it in auction once or twice over the last few years. By the way: Ecallier is French for ‘opening shell fish’, which is quite apt in this case. But on to the whisky.

Wonderfully sweet nose on oranges, raisins and maple syrup. This must have been a sherry cask. Almonds, hazelnuts, something succullulent like sweet butter and a bit of rubber or putty.

Nicely oily and mouth coating, mildly piquant and wonderfully dark and sweet if you know what I mean. Boy, this is really good! Good strength too. Dark fruit, partly caramelized. Sugared orange peel with a mild bitterness as if from grapefruit. Very zesty.

Very long and warm finish with a prickly death.

What a pity that this one cannot be found anywhere, for it is an amazingly good Scapa.

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