Springbank is one my favourite distilleries. Autumn has come so it's definitely right time to taste their new expressions.
General line-up:
General line-up:
Springbank 18 yo 46% (bottled 2016) - sherry and salt in the nose. On palate you get salt again, peppermint, lemon, body itself is a bit watery. Finish is nipping. Quite good for drinking though I like modern 10 yo even more... 21 22 22 21 = 86/100!
Springbank 2004 Gaja Barolo 54.7% - sweetness, cane sugar and peach in the nose. Taste is dense and astringent. Finish is short. Whiffs of apple wash are evident, - 1 point in the nose score. 22 21 21 21 = 85/100!
Springbank 12 yo batch #13 56.3% - well, this one is certainly more complex on the nose. Maybe a touch of wash seems to be present, but let's give it some time. The taste is on salt, seeweed, horsestable, citrus. Quite creamy and spicy. Finish is long. A good batch it is. 22 22 22 22 = 88/100!
Springbank 12 yo Burgundy 53.5% - leather, smoke, salt and spices in the nose. Tons of red berries (cranberry, cherry). The taste is dense, peppery and salty. Finish is long, both sweet on fruits and sour on wine and berries. Not willing to put such a high score to a relatively young whisky, but this one is definitely lucky marriage of Springbank spirit and wine cask. 22 23 23 22 = 90/100!
Longrow 12 yo Pinot Noir 52.9% - rich and sweet aroma with notes of cut grass and grapes. Taste: burst of sweetness, oak, fish, wax, very good diversity! Finish is long, dry and mineral. Again very good wine influence, 22 22 23 22 = 89/100!
Springbank 2004 Gaja Barolo 54.7% - sweetness, cane sugar and peach in the nose. Taste is dense and astringent. Finish is short. Whiffs of apple wash are evident, - 1 point in the nose score. 22 21 21 21 = 85/100!
Springbank 12 yo batch #13 56.3% - well, this one is certainly more complex on the nose. Maybe a touch of wash seems to be present, but let's give it some time. The taste is on salt, seeweed, horsestable, citrus. Quite creamy and spicy. Finish is long. A good batch it is. 22 22 22 22 = 88/100!
Springbank 12 yo Burgundy 53.5% - leather, smoke, salt and spices in the nose. Tons of red berries (cranberry, cherry). The taste is dense, peppery and salty. Finish is long, both sweet on fruits and sour on wine and berries. Not willing to put such a high score to a relatively young whisky, but this one is definitely lucky marriage of Springbank spirit and wine cask. 22 23 23 22 = 90/100!
Longrow 12 yo Pinot Noir 52.9% - rich and sweet aroma with notes of cut grass and grapes. Taste: burst of sweetness, oak, fish, wax, very good diversity! Finish is long, dry and mineral. Again very good wine influence, 22 22 23 22 = 89/100!
Longrow 18 yo 46% (bottled 2016) - sweetness, a bit of smoke, a bit of confectionary. Quite simple but very tasty and drinkable. A tad better than Springbank 18 yo to me, but it's not about complexity, just enjoy it. 21 22 23 22 = 88/100!
Conclusions: initial high quality of spirit rules. Every sample was between "good" and "excellent". Two personal discoveries: Longrow 12 yo Pinot Noir and Springbank 12 yo Burgundy, try them if you stumble across.
There should have been some final spurt anyway, so please all rise, Talisker 35 yo 1977/2012 54.6% is in session!
Conclusions: initial high quality of spirit rules. Every sample was between "good" and "excellent". Two personal discoveries: Longrow 12 yo Pinot Noir and Springbank 12 yo Burgundy, try them if you stumble across.
There should have been some final spurt anyway, so please all rise, Talisker 35 yo 1977/2012 54.6% is in session!
Nose: salt, lemon, smoke, pineapple, honey, plums, tangerine and marmalade. It's just another class of malts... We were sniffing it for 20 minutes, it was changing and developing. Very fruity if compared to standard Taliskers.
Taste: peat, sweetness, lemon, both powerful and mellow.
Taste: peat, sweetness, lemon, both powerful and mellow.
Finish: smoked fish and oysters.
Overall: superb Talisker, where's nearest bank branch?..
Score: 23 24 23 23 = 93/100!
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