Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength

stark, scharf sauer

This is too hot to drink neat or even spend much time nosing but dilute it to 50% and you get indulgent aromas of maple syrup, or perhaps more accurately maple syrup ice-cream. There are mouthfuls of chewy caramel-covered raisins to savor in each sip, but also hints of pear and melon. The finish slowly fades to licorice and tea. My sample was said to be from the very first batch and I can’t say how the latest bottlings measure up, but if they’re up to this standard then I would happily put one on my shelf. I tried it alongside a Springbank 13-year Fresh Sherry Single Cask, which had a similar profile, only with nice funky notes of nuts and cheese. Give that one a try too if you come across it.