It has been a while, but I have some Springbank reviews coming up and let’s start with one from the core range, namely this Springbank 15 year old.
I have already reviewed quite a few Springbanks, which is of course not surprising because it’s one of my favourite distilleries. At first, I was mainly focused on Springbank itself, but for a number of years I have also become quite a fan of Longrow and recently I can also add Hazelburn to that list. But overall Springbank itself still remains my number 1 out of the range.
However, the strange thing is that I have always ignored the Springbank 15 year old a little bit. It is somehow not really on my radar. When I do buy something from the core range, I usually go for the Springbank 12 year old Cask Strength and nowadays also the Springbank 10 (when one of the two is available somewhere at least). So that’s also why I haven’t reviewed it before, except for this one which was most likely bottled in 2002. I did enjoy that older version though, so let’s find out if I enjoy a more recent version as well.
This Springbank is bottled at 46% ABV.
Springbank 15 year old tasting notes:
Nose: notes of milk chocolate mixed with forest fruits such as blueberries and red berries. Lemons in the background. But I don’t get any of that typical Springbank farmyard smell? Then a pinch of honey. Which is followed by caramel and apples. Later also a touch of smoke and a hint of cloves. There is a bit of sulphur too. Oh and finally there it is, that typical Springbank farmyard smell. Just not as much as maybe in other Springbanks. Later also oranges.
Taste: again milk chocolate on the arrival and a bit of peat. Raisins. But also honey and oranges. It’s less fruity than the nose suggests, although the forest fruits are still there but just less pronounced. Coffee beans, a touch of sulphur again. Followed by spices, such as crushed black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon.
Finish: mid-long. with the same spices and forest fruits. Oranges too.
This is actually the least for me from the Springbank core range. Although it is still fine. Only if that sulfury note hadn’t been in it, I might have scored it a little higher. Not bad, but not very good either. So I will definitely still prefer the cheaper Springbank 10 and 12 CS over this one.
