Hello Darkness My Old Friend....
Well, well, well, Springbank....I've come to talk with you again.
I will always remember the first sip of you that I had. That day sent me on a never-ending hunt for more...
Unlike my first time tasting Highland Park, when I tasted you, I already had a bit more of an experienced palate.
They say that you are what happens when everything that is 'wrong' in whisky production comes out just right....That's what they say Springbank...it's not what I say.
I happen to think that you aren't a mistake or a compensation. You are reality.
Each step of your production represents human progress. Think, Act, Assess, Correct, Repeat.
Done properly, it has led humans to accomplish some truly amazing things.
You are one of those amazing things.
Tasting NotesSpringbank 5 Year Old 114 Proof
Color
Golden ochre, moderate depth
Nose
Vanilla custard, strawberry rhubarb, pound cake, apple strudels, all with the quintessential Springbank sulphur to make it authentic. Amazing how much you can pull from this.
Palate
Medium-Full body, nice oiliness. Rum cake, light brine. Lacking in complexity in comparison to older Springbank, but the body makes up for it.
Finish
Long, confectioners sugar, lots of cherry on the retronasal, along with nice maltiness and dark chocolate. Wonderful.
I knew this would be a banger. I think that Springbank's core range peaks at their 15 year old age statement, so I'm quite open to buying and trying young Springbank without hesitation. This was released in a market where tariffs and declining sales forced producers to correct their inventory and production. Springbank may not have the production capacity to make higher proof/better value versions of their existing lineup (e.g Macallan) or to simply increase the ages of their core range expressions (e.g Glenmorangie, Buffalo Trace) ...but they can always make a younger whiskey that's still very good. An absolute must buy.