Springbank Barolo Finish 9 Year

Nose - Bit hot, sweet soot, grape skins, sweet plums (w/ water) Reduced heat, otherwise the same Taste - Bit hot, ashy/sooty peat, berries, plum bitters (w/ water) Less heat, plum bitters, ashy sweet, red berries, red grape skins Finish - Heat, ash/soot, sweet plums (w/ water) Same, but w/ reduced heat Score - 89/100 Final Thoughts - This one definitely benefitted from a bit of water. The addition of the ashy/sooty smoke adds another layer of complexity to this dram. It has a sweet plum bitter vibe to it, but with a nice hint of sweet red grape skin tannins. A bit hot at times, but otherwise very pleasant. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Yes Would I buy a bottle? - Maybe NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.

Another batch of Springbank samples has arrived at Modern Drinking HQ and with them the difficult choice of where to start. We’ll go with this oddity from five years ago, a nine-year-old whippersnapper that spent its last five years in a Gaja Barolo cask. I actually have a bottle of this stashed away, but it’s always nice to try from someone else’s before deciding whether to open something unknown. Springbank wine finishes can be hit or miss but they’re always interesting. This one starts off with a nose of raspberries, so the cask is firmly to the foreground. The fruity profile continues in the mouth with flavors of sweet cherries, but it’s also minty and oily. The finish is shortbread, strong black tea, walnuts and more cherries. Interesting and worth a glass or two, but not as good as some of the Longrow Reds.

Herbaceous, lightly peated, and brown sugar on the nose. Oily mouthful, with semi-sweet dark chocolate coming through, combining a touch of sweetness and salt to the palate. Oak tannins on the finish leaves a slight bitterness, but otherwise a work of art.

A rubik's cube. That was my first thought when sampling this whisky. It's perplexing and a little overwhelming. In fact, I wasn't actually sure whether I liked it or hated it. If this was J&A Mitchell's intentions... bravo! They had successfully created something that would leave me pondering for some time to come. The notes of subtle peat, smoke and salt felt familiar, but the rest simply didn't. There were notes of chocolate, earth and perhaps raspberries, but more importantly, there were major notes of WTF. It actually took a second occasion for me to realise the absolutely genius to this whisky, particularly on the palate and finish, because the nose is this expression's weaker point. Still... bravo.