dhsilv2
Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed
April 10, 2020 (edited June 23, 2020)
57.1% batch 19 and 65% bourbon cask the rest sherry.
I won't lie, I think these 12s have been best with more sherry but lets dive in.
Nose - At first alcohol is a bit hard to unpack. The springbank funk and peat and light salt at there, but alcohol really is a struggle to get through. Once past that, the nose is super sweet, dessert levels. Heavy vanilla and creme brulee. Then i start getting jams and fruits. Rich, full body, but not overly complex by springbank standards at least.
Taste - I think this takes the classic 12 funk, heat, intensity, and balance and just shifts things towards a really nice vanilla. I actually had a bit of a back and fourth on if this is heavy first fill bourbon cask or if perhaps there were some casks used just to start a whisky in bourbon and then those were used here. I tend to find first fill bourbon over the top but here it's high quality bourbon casking giving these rich vanillas, but where we disagreed was that I think the sherry casks in here are absolutely amazing for 35%. The fruity sherry notes come alive in the finish and carry this whisky to really great heights. As a savor this glass more, I'm starting to pickup that springbank BBQ note I get on these 12's and other more heavily sherried ones.
I gave a black box 2015 a 3.25 which is a heck of a score and I'm doing the same here. I really love this bottle and at 100 bucks, I could consider buying another one or two.
100.0
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per
Bottle
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