dhsilv2
SPRINGBANK 10 YEAR OLD LOCAL BARLEY 2020
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed
July 16, 2021 (edited July 18, 2021)
I'm really the first? 400th review here. I just got a case of this. Time to review the neck.
Nose - So this likely won't be the note in a week but I get cinnamon, followed by some pepper and then a really sweet malt. I dig back in and I'm getting red fruits, almost kid's fruit snack strawberry or raspberry or made up random red smelling berry (actually, that's the one). I get hints of charred oak, some smoke, some off profile and off putting sherry cask notes (think signatory sherry casks which aren't my jam). I'm not getting springbank yet.
Taste - Spicy oak...like I'm thinking of balcones malt here or a bookers cinnamon profile. Charred vs a true "fresh" sherry. I get some good sherry and some bad. But god...I'm getting texas whisky here. Red hot gum? Water - remains salty and now seems to bring salty sugars and brine against still an overcoat of charred oak.
OK guys I've now had a LOT to drink of this and I'm starting to forget I'm drinking a springbank local barely. And that's a good thing.
Because you know what this is? It's a well crafted 10 year old sherry bomb that's wasted world class malt. And I"m starting to get some malty spice and salt and peat notes. It's more mortlach than springbank but I get it now.
1.75...this is a down right travesty and I've got 4 figures in bottles of this.
180.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@PBMichiganWolverine @Ctrexman just to restate this, it isn't as much the sherry as the sherry OAK that's the problem. I will say did a small pour today, add water and gave it 30+ minutes to open up. The malt is trying to make it's way out. I can't wait for this bottle in 3 months, I'm still hopeful.
@dhsilv2 @Ctrexman I’ve read similar reviews—-the Sherry is over the top on this one. I’ve had a pour of the Local Barley 16 when it first came out, and that was probably one of the best Springbank I’ve had. Also, that was readily available and affordable at the time
@Ctrexman a part of me hopes that's true, but I am far from the only person to be upset with how over the top the sherry was and how it hides possibly the best malt on the planet. But sure, if you're wowed by nas sherry bombs, this is a dirty version.
well done plowing through 400 mostly high end tastes. I bet us normies would like this as you have exposed yourself to such great drams its tough to meet the bar
@PBMichiganWolverine I'm gonna give this 3 months at least...but I'll keep you in mind.
@dhsilv2 i’ll buy one if you’re looking to sell—-have no idea what it costs , but if I can afford it, would add to my local barley set.
@jdriip Oh well, more upset I have over a grand in this i have to deal with. 2 are sold and I guess now I have 3 unopened bottles I have to address. But I'll give this another 3 months to evolve before I decide what to do with them. They might turn into trade bait.
@dhsilv2 congrats on review 400, too bad you didn’t enjoy it more.
I was so hoping to buy this, just to round out my Local Barley collection. But at the going prices I saw online plus shabby reviews, wasn’t worth it