And here it is the Springbank 11 yo Local Barley! The hype is big, but is it maybe to big? I am not against hypes but it is almost getting ridiculous. On the other hand it is also not very strange it became such a big thing, as the Local Barley releases always guarantee good quality. The old Local Barley releases were legendary and the 16 year old that came out last year was totally worth the wait. It was sold out in no time. It is therefore not surprising that everyone was waiting eagerly on the newest release. (And so did I)
This Springbank has matured in ex-bourbon casks and is bottled at 53,1% ABV, limited to 9.000 bottles. The barley used is a bere barley which was used quite a lot in the 19th century for making Scotch.
Tasting notes Springbank 11 yo Local Barley
Nose: Sweet sugary fruits, almost sugar coated. It’s young in the nose but quite pleasant. I do think it is quite subtle with some minerals and honey. If this comes from the spirit then I like bere barley a lot. Some faint smoke but just a very little.
Taste: Easy to drink, sweet pears, sugar coated fruits. Nice but also subtle, I am not sure if I would call this a typical Springbank. It’s good, a very well balanced malt with subtle smoke and candyfloss. I also taste some popcorn and a bit of saltiness. A very good mouthfeel, typical Springbank oiliness. It is not heavy and very highly influenced by the sweeter aspects.
Finish: A mid-long finish, sweet biscuits topped with sweet pears. A touch of vanilla and honey. It feels like a small sweet candy in the mouth. Salted and a bit of caramel.
This is a very good Springbank. Quite heavy on the bourbon influences and if you like that, get this bottle! The spirit influence is there and I can’t say I am seasoned enough to judge on the spirit itself. I think it’s coming through as I still get that typical Springbank flavour. But I am intrigued by bere barely.
There is just one thing I really would like to mention. Just before releasing the 11 yo Local Barley, Springbank posted a statement on their website. You can find their full message here. The bottom line; stating the estimated retail price so giving transparency on the retail market. Kudos for Springbank on doing this!
