SPRINGBANK

Whatever route you take on your single malt journey, all roads eventually lead to Campbeltown.

* FLIGHT ONE *

Expression 1
 15 Year

Background: Part of the core range since at least 2005.  Distilled two and half times like all Springbanks: some of the distillate goes through the copper still twice, while some goes around a third time. Then, the spirit is aged, separately, in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks.  

Stats:  Alcohol By Volume (ABV) = 46%. Bottled 2019.

Tasting Notes: The perfect balance of medium peat and the classic Scotch doublewood of sherry and bourbon.  An ideal daily drinker.  Salty and Malty sweet.  Green apple bubblegum.  While the 10 Year is the standard entry point for Springbank, just go straight to the 15.  It costs a bit more, but it's worth it, and you'll thank me.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Pour?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
 21 Year Single Cask

Background:  This 21 Year has been part of the core line up for years.  Until recently the composition had been the classic doublewood seen above.  Since 2017, other cask types were introduced to the mix, including port and rum.  This bottling, however, is one of the single cask editions that Springbank released in lieu of the standard version in 2016.

Stats: ABV = 49.8%
.  Bottled 2016.  Oloroso Sherry Butt.

Tasting Notes: Lovely soft and fruity nose.  Taste is well-balanced sherry notes that you would expect like raisins and maple syrup, with a hint of peppery peat on the finish.  On the second sip, the peat has subsided and malty soft fruit comes to the forefront.  

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 3
 12 Year Cask Strength

Batch #19

Background:  The current iteration of Springbank's 12 Year expression has been around since 2010.  They produce an average of two separate batches per year.  Unfortunately, the batches are not numbered on the label.  You can tell them apart by ABV in most cases. Also - the elements of each batch varies from batch to batch.  Early batches were often a mix of fresh and refill Sherry, while more recent editions are varying ratios of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry, like this one.

Stats: ABV = 57.1%. Bottled 2019.  

Tasting Notes: Big Peat on the nose!  Nice balance of vanilla and milk chocolate notes.  Adding water didn't enhance anything, but if this was the first pour of the night, then it might be a consideration.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 4
 9 Year Local Barley

 

Background: The legendary Local Barley series returned in 2016 after a 15 Year hiatus. Springbank is the only Scottish distillery where every step of the whisky making process is done on site:  From malting to distilling to aging to bottling.  And in the case of these expressions, all the barley is sourced from farms around Campbeltown.  How all whisky should be made.

Stats: ABV = 57.7%. Bottled 2018.

Tasting Notes: Every release in this series has been amazing.  Rich and complex.  Peppery Peat.  Burnt Banana.  It evolves into an effervescent tingle of the taste buds - honeycomb, kiwi, dark chocolate.  Too much good stuff!

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

* FLIGHT TWO *

Expression 1
  SMWS 27.111 - 22 Year

Background: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Single Cask bottling codenamed, A Coal Bucket of Marshmallows.  The Society provides their usual notes from the Duke of Hyperbole including: "charcoal pencil dipped in honey mingled with lamb roasted with rosemary."  

Stats: ABV = 48.8%.  Vintage June 9 1995. Bottled 2017. Refill Sherry Hogshead

Tasting Notes: A  little more oily and buttery compared to the previous single cask.  Again, well balanced. Notes of leather, fruit, and peat.  The finish is a little tame compared to the others, but that could just be due to the drop in ABV.  Didn't get any  roasted lamb or honey pencil, but I'll keep trying!

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
   1993 Florentine's Private Single Cask 24 Year

Cask #409

Background: It was a tough time for whisk(e)y in the 80s.  Sales were down, distilleries were closing - even Springbank was operating intermittently.  Things didn't improve much in the early 90s, so it was the perfect time to buy Private Casks - they were available and relatively inexpensive. So, that's just what Florentine's uncle did for his niece.  It would be bottled only when she became of age.

Stats:  ABV = 49.0%.
 Bottled 2017. Fresh Sherry Cask.

Tasting Notes: Light malt and heavy raisin on the nose.  The raisin note continues on the taste and evolves into burnt sugar.  This tastes darker than it looks.  Bursting with sherry influence in all the right ways.  Heavy fruit syrup flavor without the oily mouthfeel.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 3
The Whisky Exhange 16 Year Retro Label

Background: Springbank is one of the few remaining family owned single malt distilleries in Scotland.  The Mitchell family maintains the same whisky making traditions as they did in the 1800s for all their brands which include Longrow and Hazelburn.  As far as this release goes, it's a bit of a mystery.  An exclusive to The Whisky Exchange - perhaps this was a precursor to their annual Christmas Malt release?

Stats: ABV = 56.5%. Bottled 2012. 1995 Vintage.

Tasting Notes:  Reminiscent of the distillery 15 Year with enhanced notes of confectioners sugar and soft fruit, like Asian pear. But not getting as much peat as anticipated.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	NO

Expression 4
 Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting 14 Year Single Cask

Background: Cadenhead, Scotland's oldest independent bottler, has been under the ownership of the Mitchell family since the early 1970s.  So while they release their fair share of the single malts of Scotland, they also bottle and sell one-off casks from the Springbank distillery itself in their Campbeltown shop, like this one.    

Stats: ABV = 57.0%.  Bottled 2018. 2003 Vintage.

Tasting Notes: A growing number of single malts are aged in Rum casks and I've never had one that lived up to expectations.  Until this one.  Not super peaty, this delivers on the banana rum notes I was anticipating.  Mouthfeel is oily, with an emphasis on sweet and salty butter.  

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

[Tasting conducted with the Sneaky Trips Tasting Group which consists of Whisk(e)y Enthusiasts ranging from Beginner to Advanced.  Tastings are held monthly and are usually 8 Expressions based on a particular theme.]