Anthology
Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed
March 20, 2020 (edited March 27, 2020)
Context: First tasted on whiskeys of Scotland tasting with a group of co-workers, who I’m also trying to recruit to my soon-to-be formed LA whiskey club. Had high expectations for this pour based on Springbank brand name and reviews. Not sure if it was because it was the 9th pour of the night but initial impressions wasn’t “wow”. In fact, several in the group thought it was one of their least favorite (which proves that whiskey reviews are totally subjective and that “different strokes for different folks” rules the day). They really gave me hard time for talking up this whiskey as one of the most highly rated of the bunch. To be fair, majority in the group are relative novices to the whisky world. So I figured I need to spend a little more time with this bottle to make sure I do it justice. This review is from my follow-up tastes. Let’s dive in shall we:
Nose: (after you let the alcohol drift off about 30 minutes in glass). There’s a splash of maritime sea salt. Coming right behind is a hint of smoke with not much of peat (in the Islay sense). There’s a punch of zesty brine...like an orange peel & chlorine dry-humped each other wearing ammonia garments. I also get a tiny, tiny dose of milk chocolate. Well-balanced nose with all aromas playing in concert
Palate: Forceful, heavy hit on the tastebuds. Same Intense flavors from the nose reinforced more boldly. A very putrid sulphuric note dominates the palate. You have to wait patiently for the malt to come through. I don’t pick up much smoke on the palate but there’s some spice bite in there somewhere.
Finish: Medium to long. The spiciness continues with the citrusy brine at the tail end. Ending with warming feeling down the throat.
NWW (Nose w water): creamy caramel & vanilla. Less brine/maritme which comes across more faint & subtle. A bit more sulfuric undertones. Ever heard of sweet sulfur? This might be it!
Overall solid pour...not for the faint of heart. I would even go as far as saying the flavors are an acquired taste. Was one of the least favorite for the group in our tasting night. I bestow upon this here Campbeltown juice a 3.25⭐️ because it’s not one I would readily go back to as a daily sipper . Also the VFM (@ over $100/bottle) came up just a little short for me.
In conclusion, I would say that I have a strong suspicion that this juice will open up with time and good ol oxidation. So stay tuned for an updated tasting.
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@Anthology You can go to infinity and beyond with Springbank in terms of pricing of old bottlings and limited releases. My favorite Springbank that I've tried a few times is Local Barley 16 year old, which is no longer available. The standard 15 year old is probably the most approachable of the Springbanks, and a steal at less than $100. Next, I would try the standard 10 year old. Then, try some more cask strength 12 year olds. They have a lot of batch variation and if you can find older bottles in the black box/black label design, they will be more sherried.
@Soba45 Thanks! Your reviews (and a few others here on Distiller) are my inspiration.
@ScotchingHard Thanks for the lesson in patience kimasabe, and for confirming my suspicions on Springbank. Looking forward to my nirvana. I’m eyeing a bottle of SB 15yr green label that I saw for sub $100 but what would you say are your top 5 Springbank offerings till date?
@Rick_M Thanks for the insights. Much appreciated. Can’t tell which batch I have. The laser print on the back was hard to read. This one came it at 56.2% abv, if it helps.
Yes! Springbank is a challenge to appreciate. I would say it’s harder to like than even the Islay peat monsters. But once you get the acquired taste, there is nirvana.
Nice review!
That sulfuric note is formed from a 100 years of patina in the distillery equipment. Something unique to Springbank. The locals like to refer to it as cabbage water . You must have got a good bottle. I’m jealous! :)