Nose: Light smoke, ginger in syrup and wood spices then sweetness from thick and unctuous dates and burnt brown sugar. Dark red fruit, marmalade and salted dark chocolate develop, with treacle toffee, game meat and oily walnut. Dusty apples and then a huge lick of liquorice emerge. The nose is quite like an aged Pinot Noir.
Palate: Roast chestnuts, mince pie fruitiness and hickory, then dark berries, cigar box and softly smouldering peat. Tart citrus, cracked black pepper and a hint of cough syrup are present as well, with a touch of malt loaf, dried mushrooms and bitter dark chocolate.
Finish: Oak char, dried fruit and a little oak char linger in a full-bodied finish.
Overall: Properly Springbank. Properly delicious.