January 2022

Springbank 12 yr Cask Strength
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Batch 21 – October 2020

56.1% ABV
$120-$130
Website

What the Distillery Says

DISCLAIMER: The following notes are what is listed as of December 2021, but refers to an older batch with a different mix of cask types. Shame that Springbank themselves don’t keep more current information (as well as batch history), but focusing my review on their whisky rather than their website management 🙂 

Our 12-year-old edition, always bottled at cask strength, is a wonderfully balanced dram that boasts a smooth buttery body and rich fruity palate. Add a drop of water to release milk chocolate and vanilla notes.

Our latest release*, bottled in January 2017, is 54.2% and the tasting notes are:
Nose: It’s reminiscent of walking in an autumn forest full of pine and chestnut trees, before returning home to the iodine of a Campbeltown malt and ending with a delicate hint of peat.
Palate: A gorgeous richness on the palate which is balanced between citrus marmalade on toast and caramelised toasted marshmallows, not forgetting flavours of vanilla and pepper. It’s a lip licking meaty dram.
Finish: A delicious, viscous, smooth liquid with a salty edge. It brings back memories of a ham joint which has been marinated in a rich honey sauce and slow baked in the oven.

Special shout out to Ben’s Whisky Blog and The Washback for detailing out the Springbank 12 yr Cask Strength batch differences!

Per sources such as these and others, Batch 21 is different with the types of casks uses comprising of sherry (45%), bourbon (25%), burgundy (25%) and port (5%).

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dark fruit, red wine notes, hint of sulfur and peat, smoked barbecue pork, tobacco, oak, brandied cherries.
Palate:  Cream mouthfeel, fruity with apricots, not quite ripe strawberries, cherries, ginger, cinnamon and pepper spice.
Finish:  Long and drying with dry sherry, red wine, ash and pepper.
Comments:  Trying this side-by-side again Springbank 12 yr Cask Strength batch 15, this is much darker in color, and the burgundy cask influence really stands out. It is very good, but just not in my wheelhouse as squarely as batch 15 is with that 70% sherry mix. A bit of water thickened things up, but didn’t tamp the edges like I had hoped. If you’re a fan of different wine cask finishes or maturations, this might be intriguing (and again – it is very good; not off putting – just not the ‘sherry bomb’ that you may have come to love in the majority of previous batches).

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try