Springbank 16 Year Local Barley

This review shouldn't exist. I have way too little of this to even try and review it, but I MUST because I need to mark this day and this memory down. So I won't dwell long on politics but lets just say these last two elections have been a drain on me, and dang near everyone else alive. It seems we in the US have a new President, we'll see, and while the stress of no longer having to listen to and deal with the day to day insanity seems good, god we didn't really upgrade. So in celebration of ending my least favorite president of my life time and to drowned my pain for a new president I hate too....lets do something SPECIAL! A whisky selling for near 1k and while I have less than half an oz...I'll do my best guys. Sorry to bring in politics but that's why I'm pouring and perhaps that's important to know the mindset of the drinker. Happy and yet not happy, 2020 in a nutshell? Ok nose - Oh my! Salty sweet and oaky. I get the love already. I can't make out this fruit on here but there's a glorious fruit with sugars and salt on it. The overall profile here is candy sugar and sweetness to 11 with salty and peaty notes to balance from the springbank. I'm not picking up distinct barely just yet. Ok going back in the local barely element is there, but it's candied barely, you can tell the age of this has shifted it form a the newer spirit forward expressions and this which has good cask maturation coming in. Still at 16 years the spirit hasn't lost its vibrancy. Taste - Rich and malty, chocolatey, savory, salty, a mars bar, and then swallowing a wonderful peaty and earthy springbank finish. OK now getting some more chocolates and even some dark french vanilla, and just oak and peat. Man this is peated. The nice barely from springbank is coming in. A second pour and that finish is amazing and the peat and barely and sweetness. Tootsie rolls are coming out both the vanilla and regular. I hate to score this on such a small sample but this is better than the first 10 year. The richness and depth is just perfect. 4.25. No, not a 1k bottle but god bless this is good.

Excellent whiskey. More peat than a typical Springbank. Briney salty notes. Pear and citrus.

neni spatna