I’ve been on this whisky journey for a relatively short period of time, roughly two years. Got into scotch through a close friend of mine. On this journey, i have watched many videos, read articles and reviews and the name Springbank has come up a lot. Quickly i understood the hype and the elusive nature of this spirit and was warned about its inflated price tag. Today, a road trip, led me to a liquor store i found by chance and i happened to find this bottle at a very reasonable price tag, and i pulled the trigger. Nose - A very well rounded nose! You get everything, sweet and savory and smokyness! A big hit of fresh fruits lead the way: apples, banana, pears, pineapple and grapes. This is quickly followed by peat smoke. I had no idea the amount of peatiness i would get from this! As i comprehend the peat, hints of chocolate and salted caramel show up as well. There is a herbal, medicinal quality to the aroma as well. I have to say that it is perhaps, the most complex array of smells I’ve smelled in a whisky. Mellow and complex. Taste - As soon as i sip it i get fruity syrupy flavors immediately followed by a pretty decent peaty smoke hit! It tastes almost like how it smells. Very pleasant and crisp and clean. It is very sweet at first in a good way, like a well balanced fruity pastry but has some charred dough elements to it. There is a small hint of saltyness as well. Well rounded, medicinal and spicy but not overpowering. It is oily in nature and coats the mouth and tongue well. The finish is a good medium! The after taste leaves a fresh spring season type of feeling, herbal and minty and bittersweet. Perhaps, the most well rounded scotch I’ve tasted. I love islay whiskies and am a huge fan of the peatiest of whiskies. The presence of a good amount of peat smoke gives it a big thumbs up from my side. I finally, get the hype and the lore behind this distillery and this expression. However, I don’t think it is worth the inflated price that some places are selling it for. But i do think its worth the price that springbank puts on it.