dhsilv2
Springbank 16 Year Local Barley
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed
November 4, 2020 (edited January 6, 2024)
This review shouldn't exist. I have way too little of this to even try and review it, but I MUST because I need to mark this day and this memory down. So I won't dwell long on politics but lets just say these last two elections have been a drain on me, and dang near everyone else alive. It seems we in the US have a new President, we'll see, and while the stress of no longer having to listen to and deal with the day to day insanity seems good, god we didn't really upgrade. So in celebration of ending my least favorite president of my life time and to drowned my pain for a new president I hate too....lets do something SPECIAL! A whisky selling for near 1k and while I have less than half an oz...I'll do my best guys.
Sorry to bring in politics but that's why I'm pouring and perhaps that's important to know the mindset of the drinker. Happy and yet not happy, 2020 in a nutshell?
Ok nose - Oh my! Salty sweet and oaky. I get the love already. I can't make out this fruit on here but there's a glorious fruit with sugars and salt on it. The overall profile here is candy sugar and sweetness to 11 with salty and peaty notes to balance from the springbank. I'm not picking up distinct barely just yet. Ok going back in the local barely element is there, but it's candied barely, you can tell the age of this has shifted it form a the newer spirit forward expressions and this which has good cask maturation coming in. Still at 16 years the spirit hasn't lost its vibrancy.
Taste - Rich and malty, chocolatey, savory, salty, a mars bar, and then swallowing a wonderful peaty and earthy springbank finish. OK now getting some more chocolates and even some dark french vanilla, and just oak and peat. Man this is peated. The nice barely from springbank is coming in. A second pour and that finish is amazing and the peat and barely and sweetness. Tootsie rolls are coming out both the vanilla and regular.
I hate to score this on such a small sample but this is better than the first 10 year. The richness and depth is just perfect. 4.25. No, not a 1k bottle but god bless this is good.
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@ContemplativeFox keep in mind I've bought 2 bottles of their last 10 year at 180 a piece. And that I just scored this a 4.25, tiny sample, but my 4+'s are mostly 400 dollar whiskies either retail or secondary.
Thanks for the clarification @cascode and @dhsilv2 . I didn't look closely enough to realize that this is only available in secondary. I am still quite surprised by how expensive this is given its age and so forth, but it is Springbank and their stuff does go for a lot.
@PBMichiganWolverine the news cycle I HOPE will at least be more about issues than tweets. It's all I can hope for. @ContemplativeFox these ten, 9, 11 are all running 150-200 retail. This one however is going 1k secondary, just demand. Springbank's following is crazy strong and these are special. Cost and price have little to do with eachother.
@PBMichiganWolverine It's very good and there wasn't an awful lot ( a single batch of 9k bottles 4 years ago). When it initially came out it was reasonably priced for what it was and enthusiasts bought a couple of bottles each (one to drink, one to keep). It disappeared pretty quickly once the word got around and then it was only available on secondaries, so of course prices went mad when "collectors" started buying it up just to hoard.
@ContemplativeFox yeah, this one is pricey. Not sure why...just because local ingredients were used? Or secondary market demand?
Wow, I've never heard of a 16 YO costing so much. It sounds fantastic, but I really wonder what their cost to produce is.
Unfortunately not yet...still a long legal battle. But let’s see if PA and NV or NC come to help...( totally agree w/you...as much I love the fact that WH Drama and Reality Show will stop, we didn’t really upgrade )