Single Malt
Non-chill Filtered
Style/Region: Campbeltown
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol: 46%
Water added: yes
Nose: Brine, oak, sherry, and fruit - apricot. After water was added a sweet and peppery oak with brine.
Mouth Feel: creamy, slightly oily
Flavor: Complex – sweet and sour with peppery flavors.
Finish: Sweet and complex, oak and pepper flavors linger
Overall Impressions: Subtle and complex. In all honesty, Campbeltown Scotch has always been a bit of a mystery to me – though I’ve only had the opportunity to drink Springbank so far. Before I embarked on this journey of sitting back to truly taste the whisky and put my thoughts to it, I’ve not been impressed with Springbank – I’ve always considered it good, just not as good as it seems it should be based on what I keep hearing of it. But now I’m forced to revise my opinion. I can finally taste the subtle difference between the Campbeltown and Highland styles – before I pretty much found them to be the same. Subtle and complex are the two words that really say it all – so subtle that it’s very easy (as I did in the past) to look right past this scotch. That is a mistake – it’ll never have the bang of a really good Islay or the smooth sweetness of Highland, but it is its own beast and it’s the better for it.
3 comments:
I've actually recently become a devotee of Longrow, another product of the Springbank distillery. While, like you, my preferences tend toward the Islay malts, there is something uniquely captivating in the Longrow that I feel the Islay malts with all their power can often lack.
I'll have to try the Springback 15.
I'm liking these whiskey reviews!
I'm a big single malt drinker myself, but I tend to just drink what I know and like. Nice to see some review of the different labels.
@Anon - thanks. I've not tried the Longrow yet (it seems to be hard to find in Arizona), but it's one I have my eye out for.
@JustaStaffer - adventure is the spice of life. And I find that most high-end scotch is good.
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