This blended malt whisky, created by J&A Mitchell of Springbank Distillers Ltd, is a lovely maritime whisky at a great value. It is named after the sea loch at Campbeltown, and possibly to bring a little reality to the folk song of the same name.
Royal mile whiskies
Appearance
Mid gold in colour, it has quite a thick swirl line on my Glencairn glass, which coats most of the glass and drops several thick legs.
Nose
This blended malt whisky noses higher than 46% ABV in strength. Initially I’m thinking of tropical fruit flapjack, lemon bon bons, rose water, honey, and wood wax.
More time and I’m getting vanilla sponge cake with strawberry filling.
Palate
The mouthfeel is thin-ish, and it’s instantly spicy. There is an oiliness that comes along with the spiciness too. Linseed oil, chocolate digestive biscuits, ginger nuts, and Jamaican ginger cake. Once the palate settles down it becomes chest warming, and is reminding me of a certain Campbeltown single malt.
Waiting further brings dried apricots pieces, black liquorice, cardamom and raisins.
Finish
The finish medium long, and stays quite spicy for me. Cherryade sweetness with brownies, and light Virginia tobacco leaves.
My thoughts
I have to admit something a little embarrassing here. I’d heard of this whisky, i hadn’t seen the label, i didn’t know who’d produced it, and the sample i bought from a whisky shop as part of a group didn’t have the full bottle label on it. While i was drinking it i was thinking “jeez this reminds me of Springbank”, No sh#t Sherlock!
I have to say this that before i found about it i thought this had Spingbank written all over it. The mouthfeel is on the thin side, and the finish is medium in length, but the flavours were rather good in my opinion. At just under £40 on Royal mile whiskies for a bottle of blended malt whiskies that i instantly thought was springbank, i’d buy a bottle. I wouldn’t pay more than £40 as that’s heading into the circle of indie single malt whisky bottles, but yes i enjoyed it.
Bottle image courtesy of Royal Mile Whiskies.
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