Springbank 15 years old: multicomplex single malt
Springbank 15 years old is a highly sought after single malt, from a distillery that already sees its bottles fly off the shelves in whatever form or expression it is released. When you visit the distillery in Campbeltown, there is only a limited amount of this “15” that is allowed to be sold every day, so get in line! We managed to get a sample from an expression that was bottled almost two years ago. We try to taste new releases whenever we can but this one had eluded us. Until today!
Springbank 15 years old, rotation 2023, bottled at 46 % abv
First things first: This Springbank 15 years old was bottled in May 2023 and is predominantly sherry matured, but contains 5 % bourbon influence. One cask perhaps?
Upon Sipping: Despite an almost full force sherry maturation, the juicy Springbank spirit that thrives on oranges and tangerines is still very present in the glass. There are hints of clove and chocolate, but the overall impression is drenched with beautiful fruit. Given time, it leans more towards blood orange, strawberry and forest fruits. The wood notes are very bright and fresh too. You can understand why this particular Springbank has such a loyal following, it is quite singular in the entire core range. While I write this and pick up the glass again, the character has again changed, now releasing some light hints of gunpowder and Asian spices. Funky, industrial, now departing the fruity style, we are firmly dipping the toe in a true Campbeltown single malt whisky.
Bottling this Springbank 15 years old at 46 % abv makes it dangerously drinkable. The taste is a tad bitter, so here I do miss some fruity delight that I would have expected. This expression has a dark soul. Batch variation is really a big thing that makes Springbank such an interesting distillery to follow. I have had overly red fruit drenched “15” and also these austere editions, like this one. Both have their charm. Meanwhile, I added a drop of water, just out of curiosity, and it shows just another face, of which the Springbank 15 years old has multitudes. Finally, some fruit!
Word to the Wise: A multicomplex of styles, all in one glass. If you manage to grab a bottle (against RRP), you can consider yourself lucky. This is just excellent.
Score: 87 points.
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