The Maltman Springbank 18yo...

The Maltman Springbank 18yo (51.6%): Nothing to hide here: Springbank is one of my three favorite distilleries in Scotland... I always liked the distillery and what comes out of it regardless of being Hazelburn, Longrow or Springbank (Well, I have to admit that Tokaji Wood finish was a little stretch...) but especially after spending a week this June in Campbeltown at the distillery I think I have a total different appreciation right now. It was an absolutely tremendous time where I learned so much from the whole team and from the one and only Frank McHardy. I worked at every stage of whisky making as hard as I can every day and at the end proudly stacked the barrels one after another filled with the spirit we distilled that week. It was a very special feeling I have to say. Above all I totally felt in love with Wee Toon* and I made amazing friends I hope to stay in touch for long long years. Any whisky coming out of Springbank distillery won't taste the same to me anymore. I simply cannot wait to go back there very soon... Anyway, when Brad Jarvis a.k.a. The Whisky Professor told me that he personally chose this cask to be bottled for US market I got very excited needless to say. I really like what Maltman does lately with their single casks series and having a cask from Springbank is definitely a bonus for me. It is an eighteen years old whisky finished in a rum barrel. Color: Light amber, yellow gold. Nose: Incredibly green and vegetal: Fresh fennel, green asparagus and celery sticks. Old leather bound books, damp craft paper rolls and star anise. A few drops of water add some sweet meatiness, almost like honey glazed ham. Palate: Malty Belgian Saison beer, bone dry aged rum and thick old woolen sweaters left for a long time in the attic. Water works like magic here: Coarse salt, dry peat, charcoal sticks and barbecue smoke. Actually the more water I add the more peat I pull out from the glass. Finish: Medium long, dry and salty but with subtle honey notes at the very end. Overall: Whenever I taste a Springbank there is no possible way to know if I am being totally objective or not but this is a killer dram. The best among the Maltman Single Cask releases I received the samples of. Exactly what a Springbank finish should taste like: 100% pure Springbank in the core but elevated with subtle flavors added during the final maturation... Salty, dry, peaty and amazingly (almost at the border line of being a little odd) vegetal. Brad, I don't know when this bottle is crossing the border but I want to buy a bottle. I have to make it happen, just saying...



*Campbeltown

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