12 years old (70% ex-bourbon cask/30% ex-sherry cask) 56.5% abv non chill-filtered Natural color Nose: rich and dense fresh fruit notes, like apple and strawberry, along with a hint of citrus. As you nose the dram more, you begin to find vanilla, toffee and light caramel, along with a brine note. And behind it all, there is a slight vegetal earthiness, leather and a mustiness like an old warehouse, which is classic Springbank. Enticing to say the least. Taste: dense and mult-layered. This greets you with salty-sweet red fruits, then a wave of honey, vanilla, raisin and cocoa take over. As it continues to develop, cinnamon, clove, and lime-saltiness accent the edges. A very singular and unforgettable experience. Finish: long, spicy and syrupy fruit sweetness, like a red berry jam. The pepper spice hangs around, as well as the salt, which warms you as caramel, a hint of mint and a slight alkaline/copper note rounds it all out at the end. Value: Right around $100 USD. High value. Final thoughts: You won't find a 12 year old single malt this good, period. Adding water only serves to bring out new notes with each sip, which only adds to the value of a good cask strength malt. Springbank's insistence on quality over flashy marketing and, instead, following the old ways of whisky crafting (never color added, never chill-filtering, and doing all production on-site) is fully on display here. This is a can't miss bottle for folks looking to take their whisky journey to the second level and seasoned malt lovers alike. Score: 5/5 (Buy right now!) Malt Musing: "Scotch whisky bring out a real you." - Vivek Thangaswamy