Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength

The 12 years old Cask Strength releases from Springbank are very popular and rightfully so. They are great, each and every one of them. The first batch appeared in 2010, in 2020 the 21st batch was launched (which I was able to try before it was released). But today I have batch 19 from 2019 in my glass. It’s a vatting of 65% bourbon casks and 35% sherry casks. I’m ready!

Relatively alcoholic nose on oranges, peanut butter (!), peach, hazelnuts and peat. Pebbles in the sun. Sweet and sour peat, milk chocolate, sun dried tomatoes, herb butter, cooked ham. Not necessarily in that order. And not easy either, but very good.

The alcohol is do-able on the palate. Fine integration. A dirty trace of sulfur appears first and threatens to ruin the day, but it recuperates quickly. Turns nicely fruity on apricots and peach, sweet caramel, blood oranges, baked apples with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Yes, surprisingly sweet, especially after this challenging nose.

The finish is wonderfully long, clear and smoky.

Not the best batch I’ve, in all honesty, but it remains one helluva dram, of course.

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