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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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March 12, 2018 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
today Springbank Local Barley |
We did another wee survey on WF's Facebook page last night, friends could choose between two ‘Time Warp Sessions’ to be published this morning. One option was Ardbeg Ten vs. 1930s, the alternative being Springbank LB 10 vs. 1966. I have to say I’m mildly surprised that Springbank won, albeit by a small margin (205 votes vs. 181 for the Ardbegs). Well, I’m sure some friends have done this already but I sure haven’t seen it. New Local Barley vs. old Local Barley, doesn't that make sense… |
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Springbank 10 yo 2007/2017 ‘Local Barley’ (57.3%, OB, 9000 bottles) 
Indeed I’m late once again. One third sherry, two thirds bourbon, and of course Campbeltown barley. I thought the 11 yo was very good (WF 88). Colour: straw. Nose: not massive, and even a little lighter and more floral than regular Springbanks, but otherwise everything’s well in place, the chalk, the beach sand, the beeswax, the embrocations, the citrus, the hints of new natural leather (leather shop in Turkey)… With water: aspirin tablets in water with lemon juice and drops of honey and vanilla essence. Cures you. Mouth (neat): simply extremely good, as expected. Big mineral lemons, a feeling of garage tools, chalk and plaster, oysters, salted porridge, more lemon, even more lemon, thin mints… It’s bigger on the palate! With water: extremely good, purer, but with more smoke, and an overall profile that’s rather more medicinal. The lemon is perfect. Finish: long, pretty blade-y. Comments: an extremely pure expression of Springbank, rather less ‘dirty’ than others, and certainly more medicinal/lemony. Less tarry than the 11, as far as I can remember that one. I just do not seem to manage to resist this style. Lots of love.
SGP:453 - 90 points. |
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Springbank 32 yo 1966/1998 ‘Local Barley’ (55.1%, OB, Taiwan, cask #496)
Ex-bourbon cask. Every raw materials, not just the barley, were coming from within a radius of eight miles of the distillery, including the peat and the coal. Only exception, the bourbon casks, naturally. Colour: deep amber. Nose: guess what, there is some kind of parentage, but of course this is more complex, rounder, with many more dried fruits (a long list, with figs, currants, pears, dates…) plus this stunning camphory side, these old tobaccos, leather polish (Connolly), mentholy fudges and shortbreads, old cognac, old amontillado (indeed I’ve noticed this was ex-bourbon), toasted croissants… Simply one of those seminal noses that brought many enthusiasts to whisky in the 1990s. With water: got almost game-y. Parma ham, mutton suet, stewed prunes… Mouth (neat): oh would you please just call the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade? Amazing mentholy sultanas and waxed figs, liquorice, citrons, mirabelles, heather and manuka honeys, a drop of miso soup, a tiny tobacco strand… This is glorious. Have you called the Brigade yet? With water: and it even gets funny, shooting drops of orange squash at you. The oak’s been mastered to perfection, no modern wood-technology in sight here. Finish: long and very resinous, mentholy, liquoricy, and yet kind of smooth. A miracle in your glass – provided there is anything left in that glass, which I’m sorry to say is not the case here and now. Comments: so I see you did not call the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade.
SGP:562 - 94 points. |
Frankly, I could see those modern batches of LB being kept in cask for twenty further years, and reaching the very same heights. Rejoice rejoice! |
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