Kategoriarkiv: Springbank

Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 18 YO (2019)

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity with a funky complexity to it. A big fruit basket with green grapes, oranges and assorted tropical fruits is first to come through. On top of those there are also layers of vanilla, honey and hint of sweet liquorice. There’s also a floral side with an almost perfumey freshness to it. In the background the Springbank rubbery/oily funk creates the complexity together with a gentle peat. A hint of menthol creates a cooling effect in the nose. This is quite beautiful on the nose.

Mouth: A bitter tang and a pleasant spicyness arrive first and they are soon joined by the fruitiness and the oily rubbery note. There’s a dusty old book note sitting on top of everything. There’s honey and vanilla but they’re not as sweet as on the nose. The fruitiness is now leaning heavily towards citrus fruits with grapefruit, oranges and a hint of lemon. The peat is present but it’s not very prominent. After a few seconds the oakiness peeks through from behind. It’s a soft, fresh oak and it sort of just emerges from within the vanilla.

Finish: A big dollop of the Springbank funk and peppermint flare up and soon after the fruitiness takes over. It still produces a lot of citrus fruits with grapefruits and oranges. The lemon is a bit toned down and replaced by sweeter tropical fruits like mangoes. The old dusty books still sit on the top shelf and stays there for the entire finish. The oak arrives fashionably late but when it does it really fits the perfect profile. There’s no astringency whatsoever, and the whole thing is very thick and juicy all the way through. As always a great dram from Springbank with a lot to discover.

Additional information
The different releases of the Springbank 18 YO varies. This version was bottled in 2019 and it’s been aged in american ex-bourbon barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 12 YO Calvados Wood

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ABV: 52.7 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a funky fruitiness in the center and a fresher fruitiness mixed with honey and vanilla on the outside. There’s a mild earthy peatiness surrounding the edges of the glass. The fruitiness is one part fresh lemon and oranges and one part green apples and yellow ripe pears. The funky notes in the back are now more of a gritty rubber and motoroil baseline and bring a lot of complexity to the whole. With time in the glass it becomes more honeyed and some baking spices are added to the mix. There’s a sprinkle of dust in there as well. This is an amazing nose with a lot of body and depth.

Mouth: It starts out with a hefty mix of baking spices, honey and coconut with the gritty notes in the back. There’s a dusty layer on top of a more ripe frutiness. It’s still a fruitiness full of apples and pears with a twist of lemon though. There’s a mild peatiness sitting around the edges with a dry soil character to it. A malty note increases in intensity in the center. The oak is in there, but it’s well hidden by all the other flavours.

Finish: The transition starts with a big hit of baked apples and pears with baking spices and a hint of liquorice. The spicyness increase slightly, but overall it feels very well balanced between flavours and sensations. The oakiness starts to break though and it makes everything feel a lot older than the stated age. It’s dusty old bookshelves and old cellar notes. There’s a nuttiness coming through as well with a walnut character. There are orange marmelade notes popping up after a few seconds. The finish is long and extremely pleasant. This is a fantastic whisky which hits well beyond its age. It almost feels 4-dimensional.

Additional information
This whisky was first aged for 6 years in refill ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for 6 years in fresh Calvados casks (2012/2020). 9420 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 13 YO – Green

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dirty, dark fruits. At first there’s a top layer of fresh red berries and dried dark fruits. A gritty layer of soil, motoroil and sulfur fills up the background and gives the immidiate feel of depth and complexity. As it opens up there are sweeter notes appearing somewhere in between and sort of ties everything together. There’s a hint of vanilla and a rubber note in there as well. It creates a funky experience overall with a lot to discover. This is a great nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a quick sweetness before the background notes comes rushing forward. The funkiness is really demanding attention and the oily, rubbery, dirty notes are up front. The fruitiness is now residing at the edges and it’s more like a mixed bag of dried fruits with a dash of lemon. Raisins and overripe plums are definitely in there as well as brighter fruits. There is a peppermint element and a thin vanilla sweetness floating around. A thin bitter note can be found in the back and this really involves all the different sensations.

Finish: The finish starts out somewhat uneventful before any flavours start to return. First out is the sweetness and the dried fruits on the edges. The peppermint comes in shortly after and then the complex dirty center come along as well. It’s much more toned down and tame and doesn’t deliver what the nose and mouth promises. That leaves room for the oakiness though and it’s a very pleasant oak with a savory note and hazelnuts as well. There’s a very thin chalk layer on it which isn’t all that great but it disappears down the road. The sherry notes come back as a top layer in the late finish. This is a great, well made whisky but the finish lets it down a tiny bit.

Additional information
This Springbank was released in 2015. It’s made from organic barley and aged in ex-sherry casks for the whole aging period. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Longrow, Springbank

Longrow Peated (2021 Release)

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Sample added to queue. Tasting notes pending.

See the queue here.

Additional information
The Longrow Peated is a NAS core range release from Springbank. There’s no information about which casks are used. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 12 YO – Cask Strength (2019 Release)

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ABV: 54,2 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
(Old Scribbles)

Nose: Sweet Liquorice, vanilla, butterscotch, dark berries, raisins,and ripe red apples. A soft breeze of a campfire, leather and some maltiness.

Mouth: Honey, vanilla, chili fruit, oak, raisins and dades. Springbank’s ”funky” complex note is very much present, but a bit toned down.

Finish: Big puff of peat smoke, sweet sherry notes, mint that changes into a mild oakiness, walnuts. The finish is long and dry.

Additional information
This whisky is a 50/50 mix between american ex-bourbon oak barrels and ex-sherry casks (previous releases have had a 30/70 ratio). It’s distilled 2.5 times. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Hazelburn, Springbank

Hazelburn 8 YO Sauternes Wood

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ABV: 55.9 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and spicy. At first there’s a dark syrup sweetness combined with a mixed spicyness. It’s quite powerful in its initial impact. There are notes of ginger, vanilla, white pepper, dried fruits and assorted nuts all attached to each other in the center. On the outside there are yellow tropical fruits like mango and pineapple creating a thin layer. With time the fresher fruitiness increases in intensity and together with a honey note they become the main attraction. There is also a coffee note floating around on top. This is a great, complex nose which develops in a great way over time.

Mouth: It starts out with a dusty black pepper veil with a very fruity and sweet center underneath. There are still dessert-like notes of mango, pineapple, honey, vanilla and nuts within and in the background a gritty and oily note with rubber, leather and black coffee starts to emerge. The whole is very complex and there are ripe fruit notes and coconuts floating around as well. The black pepper creates a nice spicyness throughout but it never becomes too spicy.

Finish: The transition is mellow without being bland. The spicyness never spikes and now it’s a mix of pepper and baking spices. The ripe fruit notes and the same gritty and oily background notes carry over without any dips in flavour. Coconut and a hint of banana come through before the mango and pineapple notes return. The coffee bitterness in the back returns as well. The finish is very long and rewarding and it almost feels like a christmas in the middle of summer. This is a somewhat weird but absolutely fantastic whisky. It offers equally much to both whisky exploring and being the occasional easy drinking tasty dram.

Additional information
This whisky was first aged for 5 years in refill ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for 3 years in Sauternes casks (2002/2011). 9180 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Longrow, Springbank

Longrow Red 15 YO – Pinot Noir Cask Matured (2022)

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ABV: 51.4 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Sample added to queue. Tasting notes pending.

See the queue here.

Additional information
This whisky was first aged for 11 years in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished for 4 years pinot noir barriques. 9400 bottles were released. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Hazelburn, Springbank

Hazelburn 10 YO – Rundlets & Kilderkins

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ABV: 46.8 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and very fruity. At first there’s a cinnamon and apple center with a vanilla and honey coating. It feels very dessert-like. There are malt and wood spices which sort of fills the gaps between the other flavours. With time in the glass the fruitiness evolves and the whole becomes more acidic and sour, which fits nicely as a contrast to the otherwise sweet character. It also becomes more oaky. This is a nice nose which has a nice journey throughout.

Mouth: It starts out with a small gap in flavour and then it becomes quite sour with vanilla and honey mixed in. It has a very nice rich texture with a slightly dusty coating. There’s a bitterness on the outside and together with the sourness it becomes a lemon peel note. There’s still cinnamon and now a heavy oakiness with a lot of spicyness attached to it arrives. A small fresh fruitiness comes through as attached to the oakiness but it’s undefinable. With time the lemon peel note becomes a bit too much.

Finish: The finish starts out with a one second dip in flavour before the lemon peel note completely takes over with the spicy oak sitting around the edges. There’s a slightly weird floral note in the back, otherwise it’s very sour and bitter. After a few seconds it slowly becomes more sweet with vanilla and honey. The late finish is all about a very fresh, aromatic and spicy oak. For those who are patient the oakiness turns very nutty. Still, it’s a bit too much in the end. This is a good whisky and it has a very interesting journey, but the quirky character becomes a bit unbearable.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2014. 12000 bottles were released. It’s aged in rundlets and kilderkins. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 10 YO (2019 Release)

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is at first very fruity and spicy. There’s orange zest, peppermint, ripe red apples and vanilla together with the easy to recognize Springbank peatiness. The latter sits as a backbone with notes of rubber, tar and burning coal. This all comes together with some darker sherry notes, sweet liquorice and a whiff of milk chocolate.

Mouth: It’s salty, but the main focus is on the fruits. Oranges, lemons, ripe apples and now also some tropical fruits are added. It’s milder than on the nose and honey and vanilla cover the fruits. It has a very oily texture. The spicyness comes slowly and the oak and the peaty notes lurks in the background. There’s also a copper note detectable on the edges.

Finish: There’s a burst of peat smoke at first. When it settles it gets replaced with a complex array of fruitiness with a mix of darker fruits, red berries and fresh tropical fruits. There’s a salty note on top. The oak is savory and comes through together with the rubber and tar notes. The oakiness is very laid back and let’s the rest of the complexity shine. The finish is almost like a sangria, with red wine, spices and a lot of different fruits and berries.

Additional information
This whisky is distilled 2.5 times and it’s aged in a mix of 60 % american ex-bourbon oak barrels and 40 % european ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Hazelburn, Springbank

Hazelburn 13 YO Oloroso (2020)

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ABV: 50.3 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet, dark and fruity. At first there’s a big hit of dark and dried fruits with raisins and overripe plums and a liquorice and tobacco note attached to them. Underneath lies a complex sweetness with brown sugar and vanilla mixed with gritty and earthy notes, yet it feels very clean and well made. With time in the glass it becomes brighter and leans more towards a mixed bag of dried fruits and less of the ripe notes. This is a great nose which delivers exactly what the premisses promises.

Mouth: It starts out with a big hit of sweetness filling up the edges and a bright fruitiness in the middle with a slight bitterness attached to the backside of it. It’s rich of lemons and dried tropical fruits as well as some coconut flakes. The liquorice and the tobacco is still detectable and sit with the sweetness around the edges. There’s a nice spicyness which slowly builds up over time and gives it a nice power-up after a few seconds. The gritty and earthy note is somewhat hidden in the background at this point but it’s still in there.

Finish: The transition is quite logical without any surges. It’s just continues the journey with the brighter fruits in the middle becoming slightly more sour around the edges. The sweetness start to fade first, which gives the fruitiness a few seconds to shine before the oakiness start to take over. It’s a slightly dusty oakiness with a hint of walnuts. The liquorice and tobacco notes from the sherry casks tag along quite a while down the road. This is a great whisky from start to finish with good cask influence and a clean distillate.

Additional information
This whisky was triple distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2020. 9900 bottles were released. It was aged in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

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Campbeltown, Longrow, Springbank

Longrow 10 YO – Single Cask

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ABV: 56.9 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is oak, fruits and peat. At first there’s a leathery and mineral rich peatiness and a warm, toasted oak note. The fruitiness comes from a surrounding layer and it’s a rather bright mix of fresh berries. On top lies a weird, funky locker room note, like old sweat and sneakers. It’s sort of connected to the toasted oak note. In the background there are grease and rubber notes. This is a great nose with a lot of weirdness to it. It’s great for exploring but it’s a somewhat strange experience.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet vanilla note before a very fresh fruitiness with dried apricots, lemon and raisins in a mix with chalk and dust and a very mineral rich peat. The toasted oak note is mixed with the peatiness and there’s a caramel note which fills out the space between the other flavours. It’s got a spicyness to it as well and it feels like it’s givning it just the right amount of power to make it extremely balanced. The gritty background flavours are toned down at this point.

Finish: It starts out with a surge of the dry dust and chalky notes and the mix of fruits. It’s very consistant through the transition and the beginning of the finish mirrors everything well. It’s still a balanced yet rich and oily experience. The peatiness is still mineral rich, the fruits are still fresh and the background is still greasy and gritty. When it starts to fade the peat and oak takes over and now there are notes of leather and sawdust appearing. The sweaty locker room note reappears down the line which is not the best way to finish. This is a great whisky with a quirky character.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2018. 306 bottles were released. It was aged in a re-charred sherry butt. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour. This was specially selected for Hanseatische, Bremen.

Campbeltown, Longrow, Springbank

Longrow 11 YO Rundlets & Kilderkins

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ABV: 51.7 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. At first there’s a peaty cloud sitting on top of a sweet center with vanilla, oak and honey. It feels herbal and slightly medicinal on top but underneath the sweetness lies a complex gritty base with dirty oil and rubber notes. With time in the glass it becomes a lot sweeter and the peaty cloud moves out towards the edges and becomes more ashy than before. There’s a fruitiness hidden within which leans towards sweet and ripe red apples. It feels younger than the age statement at first aquaintance. This is a very nice nose with a lot to offer for the whisky explorer.

Mouth: It starts out with a sweet and bitter mix that consists of a dusty oak note up front and a fruity and sweet core. There’s a pretty strong coconut note and burnt caramel coming through in the middle as well. The peat is a bit subdued off the starting grid and it takes a while for it to shine. The red apples are joined by a mild lemon peel note and the peat moves together with that note up along the edges. The gritty core stays in the back and the peat notes are now more like leather and tobacco. The dusty oak is very prominent throughout.

Finish: The dusty oak, with a mix of vanilla and bitter lemon peel, stays strong through the transition. The finish starts out slightly fruitier than before with red apples dipped in caramel but it’s all about the oakiness from here. The peatiness becomes less important quite soon and resides in the background along with the gritty notes. It’s still a complex dram but it gets rather uninteresting in the late finish due to the bitter and quite protruding oakiness from the small casks. This is a very good whisky overall but it doesn’t go all the distance. It’s complex and well made but it tips over and becomes slightly unbalanced in the late finish.

Additional information
This whisky was distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2013. 9000 bottles were released. It was aged in rundlets and kilderkins. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Campbeltown, Longrow, Springbank

Longrow 13 YO – Red (2020 Release)

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ABV: 51.6 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet fruits and peat. At first there’s a sweet toffee center and a layer of dirty peat with a hint of tobacco and motor oil. An outer layer with sweet notes of red grapes and dried fruits from the red wine cask is creating a very nice complexity together with the sweet core and the peat. In the background there’s the classic Springbank rubbery funky note which creates depth. Every once in a while a hint of marsipan comes through and with time in the glass a very pronounced black liquorice note sits around the edges. This is a marvelous nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a mild lemon sourness around the edges before honey and peat sort of grow from the center and out. The toffee comes through once again, now together with a dark ripe fruitiness with overripe red berries. There’s a speck of dust in the middle. With time it becomes quite spicy. There’s also some cardemum and cinnamon floating around together with the rubbery funky note. A small bitterness comes through after a while too, but the oakiness stays way back in the background.

Finish: A big peat punch with soil, hay and tobacco hits the palate and it takes a few seconds for it to mellow out. When it does, the whole thing starts to shift towards a tropical fruitiness and the oak. The toffee and honey moves back but doesn’t disappear. The rubbery funky note and the red wine notes are ever so present and the finish goes on for a long time. The oakiness comes with a speck of dust and some walnuts. This is an absolute masterpiece.

Additional information
This january 2020 release of Longrow Red is aged for 10 years in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It’s then finished for 3 years in chilean ex-Cabernet-Souvignon red wine casks. Only 9000 bottles were produced in this batch. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Campbeltown, Hazelburn, Springbank

Hazelburn 10 YO (2019 Release)

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a honey sweetness with notes of vanilla and fudge. Close behind there is a big bowl of fruits and red berries. There are mainly pears, but also assorted tropical fruits and a hint of strawberries. There’s also a floral quality to it, and a small hint of dry soil. This is very gentle on the nose.

Mouth: It starts out quite spicy and dry. The honey layer sits on top, but it’s not as sweet as on the nose. The fruitiness have shifted from pears towards bitter lemon and grapefruit. It’s a mix of bitterness and fresh fruitiness. A touch of the Springbank oily/rubbery character shines through just before the oakiness arrive.

Finish: It’s still spicy, but the focus is mainly on the citrus fruits with grapefruit and orange peel. The honey still sits as a top layer but the whole isn’t especially sweet. The vanilla and fudge notes return for a second before the oak comes through. The oakiness changes the fruitiness towards tropical fruits. There’s a nutty quality to the late oak finish. It’s still quite bitter all the way through. This is a competent whisky from good casks. It doesn’t impress, but it really doesn’t disappoint either.

Additional information
The Hazelburn 10 YO was first released in 2014. It’s a triple distilled, unpeated expression from Springbank. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon barrels and it’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Campbeltown, Springbank

Hazelburn 14 YO – Oloroso Cask Matured (2019 Release)

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ABV: 49,3 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is heavily sherried. A thick layer of liqueur-soaked dark fruits is the main focal point. There are cherries, ripe plums and some black grapes together with a handful of raisins, vanilla and sweet liquorice. A fresh note of menthol comes through but this is all about the Oloroso sherry cask influence. There’s also a perfumey note somewhere within, but it’s too thin to pinpoint. There’s a note somewhere in the middle which is leaning towards notes of rubber and motor oil.

Mouth: Sweet and spicy. The dark fruits coming through are now leaning towards more of the raisins and it’s quite spicy. There’s a dustiness sitting together with the same rubber/oily note as on the nose. There’s a hint of grapefruit in the back. The oak is subtle and the bitterness also brings some freshly brewed coffee notes.

Finish: A big wave of the rubber/oily note and a chili spicyness rolls by before quickly switching over to the dark fruitiness again. The oak is starting to move forward. It’s dusty with a bitterness that is just about perfectly balanced. The grapefruit is still in there and so are the coffee notes. It’s still spicy and the very long finish includes the hint of rubber/oil, the oaky bitter note and the grapefruit. This is a very well made whisky.

Additional information
This is a triple distilled whisky that is matured exclusivly in first fill spanish ex-Oloroso sherry casks. It’s limited to 9900 bottles worldwide.

Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 15 YO – Rum Wood (2019)

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ABV: 51 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and sweet. The first impact is a lemon and vanilla sponge cake. Honey and icing sugar together with a mild peatiness sit at the edges of the glass. The normal Springbank oily/rubbery note is there, but it’s extremely toned down and overrun by the rum influence. It becomes sweeter with time which also changes the fruitiness slightly. It’s a very round, warm and welcoming nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a big hit of the rubbery/oily peatiness before the fruitiness and a hint of dust return. It’s still vanilla, lemon and honey, but the main focus is now steered towards the peatiness. It’s not as sweet as on the nose. The oakiness is already making an impact and creates a nice backdrop. After a few seconds the sour lemon really takes on a more leading role. The whole thing is now sort of surrounded by a floral and perfumey cloud.

Finish: A dusty and malty thick note leads way before the ABV spiciness slowly increases in intencity. The lemon and vanilla sponge cake is still there and when the oak starts to come through the lemon note changes and becomes pineapple syryp. The peatiness has now moved back towards the edges. The oakiness shows some age and it feels like grey weathered wood planks. The floral note is still sitting as a top layer through the entire finish. This is per usual a great expression from Springbank.

Additional information
This Springbank was distilled in december 2003 and bottled in August 2019. The release is limited to 9000 bottles. It’s been aged in ex-rum casks for the whole aging period. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 10 YO – Local Barley 5th Edition

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ABV: 56.2 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and earthy with a big bucket of fruits. At first dry soil and honey comes through sitting on top of raspberries, tropical fruits and lemon. As usual the Springbank character with notes of rubber and oil creates a base layer and complexity. With time in the glass the honey, with vanilla and sweet liquorice takes over more and more.

Mouth: It starts out very honey sweet and quite spicy. It’s fruity, but very dirty and rough around the edges. Dry soil, rubber, oil, ash and tar creates a powerful outer layer with the fruitiness trapped within. The fruitiness is now leaning more towards citrus fruits like oranges and lemon, but there are notes of ripe red berries and raisins sitting in the background. It’s somewhat astringent, but there’s no oakiness present yet.

Finish: A nice spicy cloud fills the mouth and lemon is the first thing to break through followed by a growing center of red berries and a tropical fruitiness. The rough and dirty notes is a bit toned down in the finish, but that just seems to help the oakiness to push through. It’s a fresh oakiness with a bitter touch, vanilla and a walnut nuttiness. The finish is very long and rewarding. This is a great whisky with a complex array of flavours.

Additional information
This is the 5th Edition of Springbank’s local barley series. It’s made with Optic barley from High Cattadale farm. It consists of whisky aged in ex-bourbon (77 %), ex-sherry (20 % and ex-port (3 %) casks. It’s limited to 9000 bottles worldwide. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Campbeltown, Private Cask, Springbank

Springbank 19 YO – Lyrik (Fresh Sherry Hogshead)

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ABV: 47.5 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is cooling mint and dark fruitiness. The first thing to come through is an extremely dark layer of sherry with a minty overtone. It’s a big chunk of black liquorice and raisins with surrounding notes of fresh oranges and a hint of lemon. In the dead center the oily/rubbery Springbank signature shines through. It gets fruitier and fresher with time in the glass. The darker notes sort of slip to the sides to make room for the rest. There’s also a clear trace of the oakiness in the background. This is a nice, complex nose.

Mouth: At first there’s a hefty dark fruitiness coming through, but the oranges is soon pushing the black liquorice and the raisins to the sides. The oily rubbery note is still sitting in the center and the age is now present as a dusty, old leather chair. It takes a few seconds for the peat to show up but when it arrives, it lands on the egdes with the dark sherry notes. The oakiness is still in the back and it feels fresh but there is a tiny speck of dust on it. With time the lemon note increases in intensity.

Finish: It starts out quite hot and it takes a while for the other flavours to come through. First to come through are the oranges and after those the black liquorice and raisins notes arrive. They are not as pronounced as before though. The peat is taking a step forward as well as the oakiness. The old leather chair comes back in the late finish together with the lemon. There’s also a hint of tobacco leaves. A tiny espresso note creates a bitter tang in the end. This is a great sherry bomb through and through.

Additional information
This is a bottling of Springbank drawn from a private fresh sherry hogshead from 2001. This was bottled in 2020.

Campbeltown, Private Cask, Springbank

Springbank 12 YO – Poesi (Fresh Sherry Hogshead)

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ABV: 51.4 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is deep, dark overripe fruits. The thick sherry layer is covering everything at first. It’s overripe plums, black liquorice and liqeuer-soaked raisins. There’s an overlay of menthol which gives a balance to the darkness. After a while it becomes possible to break through to the other flavours that’s been hiding in the back. A nice fresh citrus fruitiness peeks through together with a note of rubber and oil. This is a powerful but slightly unbalanced nose.

Mouth: It’s starts out sweet with a powerful spicyness and a sour note in the back. A coconut note flashes by before it’s back to the dark fruits and black liquorice, with the fresh fruits breaking through slightly. There’s a bitter espresso note in the background. A small layer of vanilla and a dust spread out over the palate. The oily rubbery note is still in there and the peatiness is now slightly detectable on the outside layer, but still struggling to break through the dark fruitiness.

Finish: The menthol note spreads out and soon leave room for a hefty bitterness tied to the darker notes. The overripe plums and liqeuer-soaked raisins move towards the edges and leaves the center for a lemon note and an oakiness with espresso and just a hint of hazelnuts. The coconut note returns for a second or two before the peat finally shows up in the late finish. The peat and the rubbery note stays for a very long and rewarding finish. This is an over the top sherry bomb with a complex heart. It feels a little hot and unbalanced, but it still is a great dram overall.

Additional information
This is a bottling of Springbank drawn from a private fresh sherry hogshead from 2001. This was bottled in 2013.

Campbeltown, Springbank

Springbank 11 YO – Local Barley 2nd Edition

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ABV: 53,1 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and complex. It’s vanilla heavy with honey and some ripe red apples in the back. The signature Springbank rubbery note is clearly sitting in the dead center of everything. Sweet liquorice comes through as the cask influence becomes more dense. There’s a touch of dry soil and just a tiny hint of peat. It’s milder than the ABV suggest.

Mouth: It starts out sweet and spicy. The rubbery note comes through together with a heavy dustiness and the vanilla and honey sweetness. The liquorice becomes really pronounced with time in the glass. After a second or two it turns to the bitter side, but the oak never really pushes through. Green apples and green grapes sits in the back and the peat is still in there, but very subtle.

Finish: A burst of ABV spicyness goes by before it returns to sweet honey and sweet liquorice. The rubber note is now toned down a bit. There’s a lemon note in the back. Then the oak starts to roll in and it’s a very nice, fresh oakiness with just a hint of bitterness. The peat peeks through in the late finish. This is a great dram overall, but not the best Springbank has to offer.

Additional information
This is the 2nd release in a 5 part series. The first release was a 16 YO. This whisky is distilled 2.5 times and it’s aged in american ex-bourbon oak barrels.