Tastes

Had been eyeballing this since it appeared on the shelf at my local a year and a half ago, but never pulled the trigger because the only reviews I'd read were mediocre. A combination of a solid bonus and the fact that I saw Springbank 21 at a store for a whopping $1300 (and Local Barley for $600) led me to believe it's finally time to pick this up (Springbank 21 is great, but if you pay >$1k for it you're either a billionaire or an idiot). My expectation from reviews was that the Springbank character is hidden behind the Sherry cask (which is ironically how I feel about the acclaimed 15). To my pleasant surprise, this still absolutely smells and tastes like Springbank. The sherry is obvious, but the light peat and Springbank funk are present. It's a bit musty, creamy, and fruity, without being *too* fruity. The custard note that I only get from peated malts aged >20 years is present, despite the light peat. In short, I was expecting this to be a waste of money, but it's actually one of the best drams I've had. When I've spend >$500 on a bottle and don't just taste regret, I know it's special.

Nice medium peat level remiscint of Highland Park. It's a little sweeter on the palate than other HP offerings I've had, although I'm not sure why I'm comparing it to HP, since it could've been any distillery on Orkney that made peated whisky 20 years ago.

Upon first nosing, pear is pervasive, and reflective of the bourbon casks. After tasting, the sherry cask joins the party, with some fruitcake in there, along with the still-present pear, and a little caramel. Slightly more alcohol presence compared to the 21. It's very nice, maybe a little more complex than 21, but not sure if I necessarily enjoy it more. If I didn't have age statements, I'd probably think this was younger. This is in anticipation of opening a bottle of the 40 on my 40th next month.

Sweet honey and sherry aromas, definitely tastes like a 100% oloroso but it's better integrated than the typical "sherry bomb". Easy drinking, moderate mouthfeel. The finish features dried fruits and wood, but little to no bitterness from the oak. Might not be the most memorable dram, but it bats higher than its price point.

Fruity nose reminiscint of strawberry shortcake, slight salinity and ethanol. Peat up front, some salinity with a dry, fruity finish. Not too familiar with this bottler, but glad I picked up this one.

2020 release. Sherry-forward, but some of that Springbank character still present. Light peat. It's undeniably good, but I prefer less sherry in my Springbank. I generally prefer the 12CS batches I've had (which are a good $50 cheaper).