Whisky : Springbank 27 Year; Whiskybroker, IAAS Group Bottle

Country/Region : Scotland/Campbeltown

ABV : 51.3%

Cask : Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Age : 27 Years (Distilled 23 April 1993, Bottled 14 May 2020)

Nose : Tropical fruits and savory-salt.  Bruised tropical fruits led into dried lemons, persimmons, and pineapple slices.  Further in were savory notes of coriander, fish sauce, and beef pho.

Palate : Delicate, yet oily mouthfeel with notes of citrus, cream, and fruit.  Dried citrus and tropical fruit slices, citrus rind oils, and cherry-limeade.  Subtle copper-metallic notes lingered in the background with a maritime salt.  Creamy notes built over time with clotted cream and a floral soft cheese on the finish.

Finish : Lingering lemon-lime sugars and cream.

Score : 9

Mental Image : Upcountry Maui Cheeseboard

Notes : Wow.... this was stunning.  I tried it blind the first time around and thought it was a delicious old Glenburgie aged in a first-fill ex-bourbon, I was way off.  I have had few Springbank even close to this old and never one that had mellowed out so much.  I absolutely loved the elegant tropical fruit and citrus notes that dominated the palate and the nose.  The fruits balanced nicely against more subtle salt and savory notes.

Overall, this was easily the best Springbank I have ever tried and by far the creamiest I have encountered.  This set a really high bar for the rest of 2021.

Image Credit : Whisky Auctioneer