Campbeltown

Springbank 21 Year

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Springbank 21 Year
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$325-600
Website
Springbank 21 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distillery Says

45% Bourbon, 20% Rum, 20% Sherry, 15% Port

With its warm, golden glow, our 21 year old is inviting, creamy and offers unbelievable complexity. The maritime influence uncovered in this single malt will take you on a journey to its Campbeltown home.

Nose: Notes of citrus zest, pineapple upside-down cake and fudge introduce this year’s Springbank 21 year old. There is a savoury element in the notes of baked gam and tomato vine leaves, with subtle peat smoke coming through on the nose.

Palate: A tropical influence comes through on the palate in the notes of ripe mango, dried coconut and papaya, opening up to notes of liquorice, cola syrup, digestive biscuits, honey and a slight earthiness.

Finish: A long finish with notes of orange zest, campfire embers and caramel.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dark fruits, figs, dates, raisins, blackcurrants, worn leatherbound book, soft oak, hints of spent matches, anise, blood orange and a bit of smoke.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sherried fruits (raisins, dates, figs), honey, building to wood spices with nutmeg, anise and clove.
Finish:  Long, slightly drying with sherry, soft pepper and bit of smoke.
Comments:  Springbank is damned hard to beat, and this is no exception. Just ridiculously delicious, balanced between the fruit and savory notes. Bit of water rounds out the spice and thickens it nicely. This would be a solid ‘Must Buy’ but the pricing has also gotten ridiculous.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Springbank 19 yr Single Cask

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Springbank 19 yr Single Cask
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

57% ABV
$250-$300
Website
Springbank 19 yr Single Cask Single Malt Whisky

What the Bottle Says

Distilled: May 1997
Bottled: October 2016
Cask Type: Re-Charred Sherry
No. of Bottles: 438
An exclusive bottling for Pacific Edge Wine & Spirits

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and intense, dark fruit, stewed plums, raisins, hint of pineapple, cloves, nutmeg, earthy funk, pencil eraser and sea air.
Palate:  Thick and chewy, dark fruits, black currants, raisins, dates, cloves, nutmeg, earthy/salty note and pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderately long, peppery with sea air and fruit.
Comments:  Classic Springbank. Intense flavor with a magnificent balance of sweet, savory and earthy – just spectacular (if you like that sorta thing). Water brightens the dram up with the fruit taking more of a citrus slant and still maintaining the lovely mouthfeel. It feels pricey to me, except that seems to apply to damn near everything 18 or more years old these days – so accepting the fact I’m likely just becoming a cheap curmudgeon. I just can’t imagine buying this, and being disappointed after the fact.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Kilkerran 8 Year Old Cask Strength (Batch 4, Oct 2019)

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Kilkerran 8 Year Old Cask Strength
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Batch 4 – October 2019

57.1% ABV
$100
Website
Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength

What the Distillery Says

The name Kilkerran is derived from the Gaelic, “Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain” which is the name of the original settlement where Saint Kieran had his religious cell and Campbeltown now stands. Glengyle now produces a range of Kilkerran Single Malt whiskies, all natural in colour and non-chill filtered. All our whisky characterises typical Campbeltown drams; rich, complex and perfectly balanced.

This batch was matured in 100% Re-charred Oloroso Sherry Casks.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Smokey with peat, smoked barbecue brisket, salty sea breeze, raisins, dates, black tea, grilled peaches, slightly medicinal with a mineral note.
Palate:  Viscous mouthfeel, sweet entry with fruity notes of raisins, figs and cherries; gives way to savory notes of broiled meat and sea salt.
Finish:  Moderately long and salty with dark fruits and peat.
Comments:  This whisky is special for a number of reasons – first and foremost that it is the first whisky in more than a decade that my wife told me to buy (and I can count on one hand how many others there have been!) The nose is delightfully complex for 8 years old, and a bit of water brings out notes of caramel. Thick mouthfeel that stands up to water, bringing more fruit notes of cherries and orange. Note that there is variation from batch to batch. The one prior to this used ex-bourbon casks, and the one after was first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks. The bottle didn’t disclose these details, so you may have to do some research when shopping.

Rating: Must Try

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Springbank 12 yr Cask Strength Batch 21 (October 2020)

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Springbank 12 yr Cask Strength
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Batch 21 – October 2020

56.1% ABV
$120-$130
Website
Springbank 12 yr cask strength batch 21

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

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Springbank 15 Year Old

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Springbank 15 Year Old
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46% ABV
$135-$150
Website
Springbank 15 Year

What the Distillery Says

Like a storm gathering off the Kintyre coast, our 15-year-old Springbank is dark and ominous, yet delicious. Best enjoyed after dinner or with your favourite cigar, this is a true classic.

Nose: Demerara sugar, dark chocolate, Christmas cake, almonds, toffee, oak.
Palate: Creamy, raisins, dark chocolate, figs, marzipan, brazil nuts and vanilla.
Finish: Oak and sherry notes sustain and mingle with hints of leather.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Thick and rich sherry bomb, dark fruit with oak, graham cracker, toffee, caramel, leather, molasses, wisps of sea air with just a hint of sulfur.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with graham cracker and bitter chocolate, butterscotch, nutty earthiness with some soft pepper and baking spices, clove.
Finish:  Long and drying with vanilla, smoke and dark fruits.
Comments:  A solid Springbank for sure! Rich and intense, this has everything I love in a Springbank. Some water tamps the oak and brings the chocolate and toffee out of the shadows of the dark fruit – but don’t mistake that this drinks beautifully neat!

Rating: Must Try

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