Springbank 12yo (54.4%, OB, ‘Claret Wood’, 9360 Bts., D’05/’97 B’02/’10)

Springbank brings an unusual aspect to the practice of ‘finishing’ a whisky. While most distillers limit the time a second cask and whisky spend together, Springbank goes all out. In this case 3 years of finishing. And at cask strength or without adding colour or chill filtration (Well done). The nose is strong at first and then the classic Springbank characteristics come roaring out of the glass along with loads of vibrant fruit and very reminiscent of Fruit Loops (the breakfast cereal). This is only for a short while, it soon settles down to reveal honey with tinges of smoke, black currents, black berries and warmed Lychee. There are also hints of malt and some good wood spice. A sensational collection of aromas that is all fruit and Springbank. The taste right off is typical Springbank (which is good) followed by some afore described fruit and then some dryness with hints of cold unsweetened tea and cocoa. There are also moments of diesel however it adds to the weight and doesn’t detract. With a splash of water everything is there but so in such an aggressive fashion, more syrupy but still with loads of flavour. It’s good. The finish is fruity and then quite dry with bees wax, heather, rose (?) and mint (ever so slight). It’s warming and long. There are more wood characteristics and the later stages of the finish are much like a dry batch of Aberlour a’bunadh. Not identical but just ‘much like’.

Very good….like it or not, sometimes finishing works.

C$83