Springbank 15 year (2022 release)

46%

Appearance: Dark amber

Nose: Sweet and rich sherry-soaked bbq'd meat and some deep vegetal notes leap out. The peat smoke is soft & gentle, to the point of it being almost honied. Held to the nose a little longer, waves of ripe fruit appear supported by an old leathery note. The slightest wisp of mint leaf appears that then gives over to notes of toasted cereal and soft doughy granary bread. There’s also a note of “farmyard” – the kind you get a whiff of when cows have been trundling through wet mud. And to finish it off, I detected a note of contact adhesive. These last 2 notes might sound a bit odd and unpleasant, but they are incredible in this instance when bolstered by all the other scents dancing around the glass. The nose is huge, immersive, and really makes you take note.

Palate: Richness of sherry is there, straight off the bat. The peat is also standing alongside with an assertiveness that doesn’t dominate. It’s an absolute cracker of a balancing act. The liquid also has quite a creamy quality that coats the mouth and leaves a warming, peppery sherry & fruit-laden linger. Another sip delivers all of the above but with some added meatiness, creamy fudge, and a little oaky dryness. No doubt this is a moreish whisky that has you thinking about the next sip before the first one is even finished.

Finish: Long & sweet with warmth and chewy peat smoke. It’s completely mouth-coating and is one of those whiskies that really does have you looking forward to refilling the glass . An absolute bobbly-dazzler of a superb drinking dram that deserves to be savoured. Astonishingly enjoyable.

Conclusion: I love this. But it’s like hen's teeth trying to get a replacement bottle. Such is the crazy demand for Springbank. If you have one, open it!

Read more about Springbank here