Tastes

Nose - lemon meringue, charred orange, oily peat, pineapple skin, vanilla, butterscotch, green apple, chocolate, honey, pear, apricot, powdered sugar, cinnamon, cashew, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - orange, tangerine, lemon pith, brine, ginger, oily peat, apple, fig, honey, allspice, caramel, vanilla cream, sweet oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with oily peat, honey, orchard fruit, and bitter citrus flavors. Next up on the Springbank train is this 18 Year bottled in 2018, notably with a 100% bourbon cask maturation. When I first opened the bottle over a year ago, I remember it being hot, bitter, and bland. Let’s see if time and oxygen have made a positive difference. The nose is sweet and tropical with the classic overripe, charred citrus and oily peat, but it’s a rather light touch here. The palate is similarly sweet but also pithy and bitter. More honeyed orchard fruits are in the mix with a briny, gingery zing as well. Overall this is great whisky, but I wish it were better at the $250 I paid for the bottle. At 18 years old, I think it tastes younger than it should. My personal preference would be for a sherry component to add more depth and intrigue to the profile. I’d love to try a different 18 Year and compare them side-by-side, but I won’t be shelling out for another bottle anytime soon.

Nose - oily peat, dark chocolate, charred orange, lemon, red berry, strawberry jam, nutmeg, yeast, hay, apricot, hazelnut, glazed ham, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - red berry, ginger, lemon oil, charred orange, oily peat, allspice, brine, green apple, red wine, burnt chocolate chip cookie, ginger, tangerine, rich malt, spicy oak, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium long with oily peat, citrus pith, ginger, and spicy oak flavors. The last of my Springbank 12 Years is this Batch 21 matured in 45% sherry, 25% bourbon, 25% burgundy, and 5% port casks and bottled at 56.1%. Whereas my last two were simpler combinations of sherry and bourbon, there’s much more going on here. The wine casks come through loud and clear on the nose. If I didn’t know better, I’d likely guess this was a tamer Longrow Red expression. The Springbank DNA is intact, but jammy red fruits and dark chocolate are showcased alongside the more traditional aromas. The palate is similarly darker and fruitier than its earlier counterparts’. Unfortunately, it also tastes a bit hotter and more bitter as well. Overall, this is excellent whisky. While not my favorite batch, it is a strong contender and offers more jammy complexity than you usually find with these 12 Year releases. At the $115 price point I paid for this bottle, I’d happily do it again.

Nose - oily peat, charred orange, lemon, chocolate, fig, butterscotch, sulphur, spiced apple, apricot, vanilla, cinnamon, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - oily peat, tangerine, charred orange, lemon zest, brine, powdered sugar, leather, clove, vanilla, green apple, ginger, apricot, spicy oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with oily peat, overripe fruit, brine, and ginger flavors. This next Springbank 12 Year is from Batch 19, matured in 65% bourbon and 35% sherry casks and bottled at 57.1%. The nose isn’t completely dissimilar to Batch 17’s, but it seems richer and creamier. Overripe charred orange, oily peat, and sherried fruits dominate. The palate is punchy and citrus forward with that semisweet, barnyard funk, ginger, and more sherried fruits. This isn’t dramatically better than Batch 17, but it is a step up, which is no easy feat. The profile is richer and slightly more complex. It’s youthful enough, but lacks the more oppressive sourness and bitterness found on its earlier counterpart. This is outstanding whisky, and I’m extremely happy to have a bottle. Next up is the last of my Springbank 12 Years.

Nose - oily peat, toasted oat, dark chocolate, charred orange, marshmallow, lemon, sulphur, apricot, sultana, fig, hazelnut, mango, white pepper, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - oily peat, charred orange, rich malt, lemon pith, chocolate, brine, spicy oak, fig, apricot, powdered sugar, sulphur, green apple, honey, ginger, underripe banana, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with sulphur, sherried fruit, and lemon pith flavors. Over the coming days, I’ll be reviewing three different Springbank 12 Year batches. This is Batch 17 from 2018 which is a vatting of 70% sherry and 30% bourbon casks, bottled at 56.2%. The nose is what I’ve come to expect with these 12 Year releases. Toasty, oily, slightly rotten, but with rich maltiness carrying the citrus, chocolate, and sherried fruit aromas. The palate is punchy with briny, honeyed, citrus and sherried fruit front and center. There’s a rich, peaty oiliness, leading to a decent finish that veers slightly into bitter territory. This is great whisky and a solid Springbank 12 Year release. There is the expected youth that manifests some sourness and bitterness, particularly on the finish, but overall this is an excellent dram and a bottle I’d be happy to own. Many thanks to @ContemplativeFox for providing the generous sample!

Nose - oily peat, charred orange, lemon, sultana, green apple, funky herbal notes, vanilla cream, yeast, honey, overripe banana, chocolate, cinnamon, butterscotch, rich oak, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - oily peat, lemon zest, charred orange, dark chocolate, coffee, mint, ginger, white pepper, caramel, tar, vanilla, brine, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, fig, moderate alcohol bite, finishing long with charred citrus, oily peat, honey, and dark chocolate flavors. The last of my Longrow reviews is this 18 Year bottled in 2015 and aged exclusively in sherry casks. The nose is fantastic. Rich, oily maltiness, honeyed fruits, charred orange and lemon, and even some rummy banana notes. The palate smacks you with more dirty peat, some deeply sour citrus, chocolate, and sherried fruit flavors. The mouthfeel is thick and the finish is deliciously long. This is outstanding whisky. The additional age really helps the classic Longrow aromas shine. There’s some sourness, but it’s deeper and less youthful than the others I reviewed. My biggest issue with the standard Peated and Red releases I tried was the brightness. I think the age is just right with this one. I’d love to try the 21 Year, but the price tag is holding me back. At $250 a bottle for the 18 Year these days, you’re not getting deal. But you are getting one hell of a whisky.

Nose - oily peat, raspberry jam, strawberry, flint, toffee, vanilla, lemon pith, vegetal notes, spicy oak, white pepper, boozy chocolate, clove, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - strawberry, orange, brine, prepared caramel, flint, oily peat, vanilla, chocolate, raspberry jam, allspice, ginger, granola, lemon, red wine, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with fruit jam, citrus pith, and oily sulphur flavors. This Red release spent ten years in a combination of sherry and bourbon barrels before finishing for an additional three in Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon casks. This is very different from the 10 Year Refill Malbec release I reviewed previously. The nose is dark, jammy, and brooding. It’s more aromatic, sulphuric, and winey as well. The palate is very oily and chewy. The flavors are deep and rich, with the dirty, funky Longrow DNA shining through nicely. This is excellent and at least one step above the 10 Year Refill Malbec release. When I opened the bottle over a year ago, I wasn’t particularly impressed. But as is the case with most Springbanks I’ve purchased, a hefty dose of oxygen helps to loosen things up. This was very close to getting an even higher score from me, but it’s a bit youthful and bitter on the finish. Still it’s great, and I’m happy I bought a bottle.

Nose - oily peat, honey, flint, rhubarb, grape juice, raspberry, fig, boozy chocolate, prepared caramel, vanilla cream, lemon, orange, cinnamon, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - oily peat, lemon pith, orange, cherry, raspberry, caramel, brine, apple skin, vanilla, sweet floral notes, flint, dry oak, clove, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with bitter citrus, red fruit, and oily peat flavors. Next up in the Longrow family is this 10 Year Refill Malbec Red release. The whisky spends seven years in bourbon barrels before being finished in refill Malbec casks for an additional three years. Let’s dive in. The nose is bright and juicy with fresh red fruits and tart rhurbarb aromas. There’s a creamy quality to it with vanilla, honey, and sour citrus rounding out a nice bouquet. The palate is bursting with juicy red fruit and pithy citrus. The presence of a brine flavor creates a mouthwatering, thirst quenching quality. From what I read, this may not be one of the better Red releases, but I think it’s really good. While there is some marked youth that detracts from the experience, I would rank this marginally better than the standard Peated offering. Unfortunately at north of $150 around here and double the Peated price, there’s not much value to be found.

Nose - oily peat, nectarine, rotting lemon, charred orange, peach, apple, flint, honey, vanilla cream, toffee, white wine, nutmeg, black pepper, cashew, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - oily peat, spiced honey, lemon pith, orange, apricot, vanilla, flint, caramel, brine, apple, white pepper, nutmeg, clove, anise, oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with oily peat, bitter citrus, and oak flavors. The Springbank review series continues with this entry level expression from Longrow, which is non-age stated unlike its Springbank and Hazelburn counterparts, but I’d peg it at an average of slightly under 10 years. The nose has the characteristic oily, sulphuric Springbank quality in spades. It’s not Islay peaty, but the peat is very present. There’s a juicy, creamy quality that counterbalances the spoiled off notes quite nicely. The palate is citrus-forward with lemon pith dominating. A brininess appears with some orchard fruit and an herbaceous, clove-like quality rounding out the experience. The mouthfeel is oily and the finish is better than average. This is really good, but not quite great. Slightly less sourness and bitterness would have made a significant improvement. I think I paid $70 for this last year. It’s increased to $80 near me, but I’d still consider picking it up at that price. Of the entry level Springbanks, I like this more than the Hazelburn 10 Year but less than the Springbank 10 Year.

Nose - lemon, orange zest, apple, toffee, vanilla, floral notes, flint, apricot, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - apple, salted caramel, vanilla, lemon, orange, pineapple, floral notes, bitter walnut, nutmeg, chocolate, sweet oak, flint, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with apple, sour citrus, and floral flavors. So the 2020 version of the Hazelburn 13 was amazing. How does the 2021 release hold up? While the other was 100% fresh oloroso cask matured, this is a combination of 25% oloroso and 75% bourbon casks. And it shows. The nose is much more similar to the standard Hazelburn 10 Year’s than it is to last year’s release. It’s lemony with creamy caramel and vanilla alongside fresh apples and a sweet floral quality. The palate leans more heavily on apples, sour citrus, and a bitter, not quite tannic, nuttiness. The mouthfeel is average as is the finish. I don’t like this nearly as much as the 2020 version. It drinks like a beefed up Hazelburn 10 Year, which isn’t bad but it’s not special like the other is. While the other has a bit of youth, it was much more masked than it is here with the preponderance of bourbon casks. And it detracts from the experience. Still, it’s good and I’d happily drink this. But I wouldn’t happily buy a bottle of it. Many thanks to @pkingmartin for providing the generous sample!

Nose - date, raisin, spiced honey, spoiled orange, flint, lemon, vanilla, toffee, raspberry jam, allspice, rich malt, sweet oak, white pepper, dark chocolate, walnut, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - raspberry, orange zest, lemon, raisin, black cherry, vanilla, flint, pineapple, rich malt, ginger, brine, light peat, honey, chocolate, moderate alcohol bite, finishing long with spoiled dark fruit, flint, chocolate, and rich oak. Aged for thirteen years in fresh oloroso casks, this is a completely different animal from the standard 10 Year. While the younger is rather timid and subtle, there’s nothing shy about this one. The nose is beautiful. Overripe jammy fruits, toffee, sulphur, and that oily, dirty funk that’s a hallmark of Springbank whiskies. The palate is mouthwateringly delicious. Salted dark fruits, juicy citrus, chocolate, and more of the funk. The mouthfeel is oily and the finish is lusciously long. By now you can probably tell that I like this. It’s outstanding whisky and one of the best bottles I have in my collection. Better yet, at the $130 I paid for this last year, it’s the best value top tier whisky I own. It’s easily worth double that. The only thing holding this back from a perfect score is a slight youthful brightness which doesn’t detract from the experience, but it’s worth mentioning if I’m being especially critical. Still, if you see one and have a proclivity for the Campbeltown experience, buy one. You won’t be disappointed.