Scottish Whisky

Springbank 10 Year Old

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Springbank Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years
46% ABV/92 Proof
$50 to $60
Website


What the Distillery Say:
The original Springbank whisky has been distilled legally on the site of the present distillery since 1828, and probably illicitly since well before then! Known and loved amongst whisky enthusiasts the world over, Springbank is produced using lightly-peated barley and a unique two-and-a-half-times distillation. This gives the whisky a character all of its own, making it stand out as a must-have dram on anyone’s shelf.

Produced using the most traditional of production techniques, from floor malting all the way through to the bottling stage, Springbank can best be described as a “hand-made” single malt. The classic Springbank complex, rich character can be found throughout the various bottlings available: the 10 year old is matured mostly in bourbon casks, emphasising the distillery’s character.

Matured 60% bourbon 40% sherry cask

The perfect introduction to the Springbank range. Complexity is the key word here. Yet the combination of Springbank matured in Bourbon and Sherry casks remains perfectly balanced from first sip to the full, rich finish.

Nose: Orchard fruit (pear) with a hint of peat, vanilla and malt.
Palate: Malt, oak, spice, nutmeg and cinnamon, vanilla essence.
Finish: Sweet with a lingering salty tingle.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Heather, honey, burnt sugar, and a little anise.
Palate: Very viscous, almost chewy. Great mouth feel. Fruity and briney. I’d love to be more specific on the fruity but it’s like southern ambrosia. It’s hard to pull the parts out.
Finish: A nice briney oak and an almost but not quite peat smokiness that all rolls together very nicely.
Comments: Oh Springbank I am so at odds with you. I love your whisky but I don’t want to tell people about it for fear it will be harder to get. It’s really hard to go bad with a Springbank. This one, along with Talisker, is in my opinion one of the two finest 10 year old single malt scotch drams available. The price may be a little off putting but you really need to try it.
Rating: Must Try

Springbank 10 Year Old Read More »

SMWSA Cask G1.8

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. G1.8
Grain
62.9% ABV
Distilled December 1990
$145
US Allocation: 60 Bottles
September 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
Lots of fruit on the early nose (pear flan, rhubarb, lemon curd, apricot) growing richer in the glass – soon we found marzipan, fudge, toffee, Bakewell tart, butterscotch, vanilla and straw. The palate was just as fruity but also sweet and nippy (some found it fiery) – like a bag of assorted boiled sweets. In reduction, the nose split between citric components and banana toffee – also some dustiness, like rubbing butter into flour. The palate opened and became cleaner and fresher, but evaporation from the tongue left rich joys of tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate Bounty bars. From Edinburgh’s only grain distillery.

Drinking tip: A summertime dram – or maybe while making cakes.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rum soaked golden raisins, pears, fresh ginger, saltwater taffy, and heavy cream that’s sat out on the counter too long.
Palate: Old pot coffee, navel oranges, liquorice, and old rubber.
Finish: Water or no water….this is a hot finish with a little bit of charred coconut skins.
Comments: Nose – yes. Everything else – not so much. I would probably send this one packing for the price. Irrespective of price it’s pleasant enough but nothing remarkable stands out. Although, you don’t see much North British bottled so if you can go splits with some folks on the bottle it is an interesting curiosity.
Rating: Average

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

SMWSA Cask G1.8 Read More »

SMWSA Cask 23.72

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. 23.72
Islay, Loch Indaal
66.4% ABV
Distilled July 2002
$90
US Allocation: 90 Bottles
September 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
The nose forced shotgun shells and fireworks on us – but also gave barley sugars, custard and chocolate-coated foamy bananas; peppermint tea, liquorice, smoked ham and old bonfires. The palate’s big, eye-watering sherry slap took our breath away – sweet red liquorice, cinder toffee, creme brulee, treacle, cooked apples, ash and peat. The reduced nose suggested barbecued lamb chops dripping on embers, singed mint leaf and burnt lemon skin. Water definitely improved the palate – now sweeter (toasted coconut, vanilla, golden syrup, raisins, cherries) – also woody spices, crispy sage, and grilled lobster. The distillery is on the road from Port Charlotte to Bridgend.

Drinking tip: Let some water open it up and don’t rush it.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fresh cut pine, sherry, and brined rose petals. Water gives it an almost meaty aroma. I definitely prefer this at cask strength.
Palate: Sherry, candied apples, pepper vinegar barbeque sauce, and a little bit of raisins.
Finish: The finish needs the water that the nose shrugs aside. Ash, peat, burnt wood and just a little bit minty.
Comments: This one’s a little young for me. Not my favorite Laddie. It’s a freshman all dolled up with padding in her bra trying to get into the senior prom. Sweetheart, your time will come. It’s just not right now.
Rating: Average

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

SMWSA Cask 23.72 Read More »

SMSWA Cask 125.48

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. 125.48
Highlands, Northern Highlands
52.1% ABV
Distilled November 1998
$110
US Allocation: 150 Bottles
September 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
The nose, initially offering orange liqueur, balsa wood and old-fashioned tea chests, took some time to open; a drop of water helped us to discover the depth and complexity – caramel, Mars bar, fruit tea with honey, a mixed bag of dried fruits and nuts and Dorset Cereals muesli with maple syrup. The palate, at natural strength, had good heat in it, plus flavours of leather, wood, tea leaves and coconut, with cinder toffee, burnt sugar and honeycomb crunch. The reduced palate developed malt and candy sweetness, with pleasant warm spices in the finish. ‘Perfected’ by the sixteen men of Tain.

Drinking tip: Pretty versatile really, but not one to be rushed.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Musty black tea like what’s left in a Tetley box after all the bags are gone. Dark orange notes and with a little water honey and wildflowers come out.
Palate: Caramel, British Mars bars, and toffee. Water brings out more orange notes and makes the sweetness more honey than toffee/caramel.
Finish: The finish without water is hot and a little musty. With water it’s of medium length and lightly peppery.
Comments: This is not like other Glenmorangies that I’ve tried but they spend so much time with wood finishes that it’s hard to say. This is a very nice express that I highly recommend trying.
Rating: Must Try

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

SMSWA Cask 125.48 Read More »

SMSWA Cask 2.81

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. 2.81
Highlands, Speyside (Livet)
59.9% ABV
Distilled April 1996
$120
US Allocation: 210 Bottles
September 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
Rich and heady aromas of butterscotch, molasses adn rum soaked raisins together with creme brulee, orange oil, geraniums and a greenhouse on a warm day. Toffee sweetness was balance by balsamic and a trace of struck matches. The taste was hot, there was liquorice, black tea tannins, toffee and black pepper. Water improved it offering smooth buttery toffee, tobacco and balsamic. The palate was still tannic (like chewing sticks) with brown sauce bitterness but also sweet with vanilla, butterscotch and caramel. This Speyside distillery is close to the famous pack horse bridge.

Drinking tip: A pudding dram.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one noses somewhere between a Kentucky rye bourbon and a robust California Cabernet. Water brings out more of the sherry.
Palate: Rich, dark, and chewy like a plum and raspberry Starburst candy. Water lightens the load again toward pronounced sherry notes.
Finish: The finish is a little hot out of the barrel with a heavy dry oak influence. Water mellows the dry oak nicely and leave a pleasant liquorice flavor.
Comments: In reviewing the provided tasting notes after I did my tasting I zeroed in on “molasses” and “balsamic” vinegar. Those are great descriptors that permeate the nose and palate. However, they were foreign to me until pointed out because they are unusual for me to find in a scotch. This is a very rich thick dram that is fun to explore. Aberlour maybe?
Rating: Must Try

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

SMSWA Cask 2.81 Read More »