Master of Malt's #WhiskySanta has returned to give away free orders, £100 vouchers, tens of thousands of pressies inside packages, and to grant Christmas wishes too!
A fabulous 10 year old Springbank, matured in bourbon casks as well as sherry casks, adding a wonderful depth of flavour. Slightly peated, it marries a complex mixture of maritime notes as well as a fresh and fruity balance. The definition of a Campbeltown classic.
Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt
Nose
The nose offers up plenty of oak, exotic spices, guava, heather honey and soft smoke.
Palate
A full, sweet, creamy palate with hints of smoke, marzipan and cigar boxes.
Finish
A smoky finish, trailing off on sweet cider and toasty barley.
Winner of 1 spirit awards
Gold
Campbeltown Single Malt 12 Years and Under - 2014
World Whiskies Awards
Allergy Information
This product does not contain any notifiable allergens
It seems a tad pointless reviewing Springbank. The brand, in all its plain old school labelling and values, is widely popular with whisky aficionados across the globe. To highlight this the 25 was released the other week, sold out instantly and is now commanding sky-high secondary prices from the 'flippers'.
The reason for this is production is so low, when compared to the majors, and the process involved in making a Springbank is done entirely in house. Its a credit to the distillery and its owner that such an old-fashioned approach is still adopted and that they keep prices reasonable despite the current sky-high demand.
This ten year old is limited to 1 or 2 releases a year in the UK and is reasonably obtainable if you get a heads up it's about to be released, but you'll only have a few days to make your decision before its gone again. One thing for sure, you need to be fairly progressed on your 'Malt Journey' before you tackle a whisky with this complexity.
My bottle is from the 2021 vintage, purchased around May time.
The nose had a huge bourbon & spirit vibe. All vanilla and oak.
On the palette you definitely get that infamous Cambelltown funk. Sort of like walking into your Grandpa's shed, grassy tools, lawnmower oil and damp vegetal manner. It's not unpleasant but neither can it be avoided, you certainly won't find this in the Speyside sippers.
The sherry cask influence comes through slightly on the finish with a whisper of peat smoke. I didn't get the tropical fruits noted by others.
Why the average rating then? Well for starters I opened this last May and have only just finished it (end of March 22). Its alluring and pleasant but after I had one dram very rarely did I want another. Other bottles were opened and finished whilst this lingered a bit long in the cabinet.
I'm glad I sampled an undeniably quality experience but I'm happy to move on now and leave the rest scrambling for future releases.
Master of Malt Customer Mar 28, 2022
loves it
Smells like autumn.
On the nose: earthy wet fall leaves, moss, damp forest, honeycrisp apple, nutmeg, foraged herbs, dry heirloom gourd rind, pear, green apple, brown sugar, dried apricot, earthy mushrooms, morels, oats, hay, vanilla, hint of clove, walnut, distant smoke, clay, foggy morning at a farm in a colder beach town
Honey, toast, strong pear, drier sherry, funk, craft heirloom variety cider, honeycrisp apple
Not for everyone, but really enjoying this 10yr
Ryan Erik Frania Sep 10, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Fabulous!
Smooth, complex and diverse notes.
Enjoyed first tasting in Ayrshire Scotland.
Also enjoyed other brands but this was the best.
Bart Mauro Aug 11, 2021
Buy two
Complex, murky, soft peat (but not like eating a bbq from Islay) and frequently sold out. Tells you all you need to know. If you see it, but two.
Master of Malt Customer Aug 3, 2021
First class
Easily one of the very best value for money whiskies out there. An exceptional dram.
