Category-Single Malt, Distillery-Springbank, Bottler – Distillery Bottling for Online Tasting Week 2021, Bottled-01.04.2021, Stated Age-17 years old, Cask type-5x Fresh Rum Barrels, Number of bottles-1025, Strength-50.5 % Vol.
Whisky base
Appearance
Bright lemon in colour, the swirl line is very thick on my Copita glass, with faint medium thick legs.
Nose
The peat is immediately available, it’s not face slapping though. The fresh rum cask has brought tropical and stoned fruits, guava, apricot, and nectarines. That fruity sweetness is mixing very nicely with what is becoming quite a strong botanical aroma, definitely juniper-ish.
More time and the peat and darker fruits combine, though an almost cream soda aroma does come along too, but it’s fainter. Chocolate coated Kendal mint cake is a super combination I’m getting also. Bacon fries crisps and bitter lemon see the bulk of the palate out for me.
Palate
The palate is again peat forward initially, and it’s a bit of a spice monster too. Those cinnamon and white pepper spices calm down slowly unlocking access to other flavours.
The ABV is rather good here, it definitely feels higher that 50.5%, the mouthfeel is medium thick, and the bacon cooked on an a barbecue is here, with seared pineapple chunks, black pepper, a hint of nutmeg, and cloudy lemonade.
Finish
The finish is quite long, the peat is still coming through nicely, and after waiting with it all this time the mouthfeel finally thickens up, better late than never. The stoned fruits still hang around, but bitter lemon is definitely taking over, there is a little drying too. Coffee beans and black liquorice see the finish close.
My thoughts
Turns out after trying all three whiskies produced at the Springbank distillery that i really enjoy their Longrow whisky. Don’t get me wrong though, i do enjoy a drop of Springbank and Hazelburn, Hazelburn being my favourite of the three to be honest. This sample coming out to me was very welcome, and i really was looking forward to trying it, and i’m very pleased i have.
The fresh rum casks show the two sides that i sometimes get from a whisk(e)y that’s been in rum casks, the sweetness initially, that develop into darker notes on the nose and palate later on. This bottling does develop very nicely for me, it certainly had me smiling whilst writing tasting notes. The mouthfeel improved with time, and the spices are rather nice too.
Now comes the question, would i buy one? I checked it out on Whisky Base, and it seems that it was initially released at around 100 Euros, it has since commanded prices four times that, that darned whisk(e)y inflation. At 100 Euros i think it was a great purchase, but at perhaps over 400 Euros i’d have to say no i wouldn’t, it’s a lovely whisky in my opinion, but not 400 Euros lovely. If i had the money and found one at it’s original price i’d definitely have one in my whisky cupboard.
A big thank you goes out to Jason – @jason85388511, a whisky friend over on Twitter, for this super sample. Please do give Jason along with us a follow on Twitter using the buttons below.
Bottle image: Whisky Base.
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