THE CONNECTIONS DUO, TWO REGIONS IN TWO BOTTLES
North Star's Connections series builds a blended malt that tastes like a whole region, from casks most bottlers cannot get near. Here are two of them side by side. The Campbeltown Connection is Springbank, Glen Scotia and other Campbeltown malts, the salty, waxy, lightly smoky town in one glass. The Speyside Connection is 35 year old Macallan, 20 year old Tamdhu and a first fill Oloroso Speyside 10, all sherry wood, married into one sherried Speysider.
Two regions that could not taste more different, from one bottler, at one price. Set price $180, against $190 for the two bottles on their own.
Bottle one: The Campbeltown Connection, 10 Year
- Springbank, Glen Scotia and other Campbeltown malts. Youngest distillate 2015. 50.7%, non-chill filtered, natural colour.
- Campbeltown has three working distilleries left, and Springbank sells out on allocation everywhere on earth. This is the same postcode in an honest package.
- North Star's notes: caramelised grapefruits and fresh vanilla pods. Salty and waxy, the slight peat makes it big in the mouth. Warm, citrus orange with a wee bit of paraffin for good measure.
Bottle two: The Speyside Connection, 10 Year
- Macallan aged 35 years, Tamdhu aged 20 years, and a 10 year old first fill Oloroso Speyside malt. Sherry hogsheads and butts throughout. 52%, non-chill filtered, natural colour.
- The age statement says 10 because the youngest cask sets the number. The liquid says considerably more. The European allocation sold out almost immediately.
- North Star's notes: sultanas, honeyed toffee, cinnamon and polished oak. Bold yet harmonious, luxurious in texture with vibrant fruit. Cinnamon, polished oak, and a last return of honeyed toffee.
Why a set
Pour them together and you have the two ends of Scotland in front of you: coastal, briny and lightly smoky on one side, deep sherried Speyside on the other. Same bottler, same age statement, same idea, and nothing else in common. If someone asks you what regions mean, this is the answer in two glasses.
One set contains one 700ml bottle of each release.
Set price against buying both bottles separately.
| Specification | Campbeltown Connection | Speyside Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Blended malt Scotch, 100% Campbeltown | Blended malt Scotch, 100% Speyside |
| Composition | Springbank, Glen Scotia and other Campbeltown malts | Macallan 35 year, Tamdhu 20 year, Speyside 10 year 1st fill Oloroso |
| Age | 10 years (youngest component) | 10 years (youngest component) |
| Cask | Springbank and Glen Scotia hogsheads | Sherry hogsheads and butts |
| ABV | 50.7% | 52% |
| Volume | 700ml | 700ml |
| Presentation | Non-chill filtered, natural colour. Sold only as a two-bottle set. | |
