[52.2%・Distilled in 1964・Bottled in 1998・34 Years Old・Cadenhead’s Bottling・Single Cask Release]
Nose:
Probably one of the most beautifully Sherried Springbank I have come across, evoking delightful thoughts of warm toffee syrup being poured on chocolate mud cake that’s made with sweet almond nibs and dried muscat grapes. The elongated sweetness is not overloaded though as it gets balanced out by notes of vintage Schott leather jackets and this really special woodiness from dated Sherry oak staves as a hint of petrol smoke floats subtly in the background.
Palate & Finish:
The delivery zooms in on the brightness of raisins at the very beginning with orange peels propping up the citrus before the heavier leather and oak pile on. Dark cocoa and wood tannins working overtime to build a lengthy dryness that follows through with chewy jerky and into a very long finish with some dark, dried orange slices..
Thoughts:
These last drops are admittedly probably slightly flat and perhaps a wee bit cork tainted but the nose is at its core thoroughly satisfying, pleasing the most basic instinct. I am convinced that the dram could only be magical if it were at a healthier state.
I would love to try this again and I’m sad there is now one less bottle in the world.
☆ [Recommended]
-Nicholas
WhiskNick 