Style: Fruity and Smoky
Nose:
Starting with a spark of flint stone then we have cloudy hay smoke shrouding on delicate pear drops and lemon pop tart. Vanilla sugar absorbed by the malt. Deep waxiness, a persistent dried grass undertone. Aroma oscillating between sweet and dry planes along the way. The acidity lingers to give it a refreshing, sharp edge. Good oily weight and decent depth. Pretty nice.
Palate:
Smokey water diffuses through and reaches the bright tropical fruits core. Teasing tartness combines with peppmint spice and tannins at the front. Pineapples dipped in nectar, coconut shreds, ripe apricots tart and chunky dried mangoes in the middle. A lick of lemon candle wax and mineral notes. Malt reverts back to barley to show some dryness. Vanilla dropping lower and rendezvous with another flick of peat smoke and wood twigs. Oak rumbles till the end.
Finish:
Fruit juice gelatin coated with a thin layer of honey wax. Nashi pears, sultanas and floral notes whispering softly till the end.
Thoughts:
Hmmmm… It’s hard to describe this feeling… Okay, although this might sound very clumsy, I will give it a go – I think this Springbank 10 is “the whisky’s whisky” or “how should a whisky taste like” in my mind. No, it’s not a perfect whisky, but it has everything I want: Fruity malt with optimum peat, multiple facets on display, bold expression (actually reminds me a bit of Yoichi, or rather, it’s the other way round) with clean execution. A classy dram. I mucho mucho dig this. Close to 2 stars.
☆ [Recommended]
[46% • Original Bottling • General Release • Non Chill Filtered • 2015 Bottled • *+]
-Esmond
WhiskNick 