Hazelburn 13 Year Old 2007

I accomplished something significant at work today, though it required a lengthy effort. For a celebratory drink, I selected this Hazelburn, which is both a coveted treat and rumored to be somewhat disappointing. This seemed fitting for the occasion. Before I begin, a quick note on the presentation: The Springbank distillery, known for its unappealing labels, has outdone itself. The garish green on an already dreadful design is truly hideous. They really need to hire a graphic designer. Nose: A substantial sherry presence, yet not overpowering. I should mention I'm not particularly fond of sherry-matured Springbanks, unless they're young, so perhaps this will be acceptable. While not the most robust nose, it offers ample sherry character, complemented by that distinct Springbank musty, oceanic funk. It has a pleasant oloroso oiliness with balanced cherry and lemon notes. A subtle smokiness is present, and I detect no sulfur at all. The sherry exhibits good depth, smoothly transitioning into the characteristic Springbank funk. Although I typically desire more pronounced Springbank character – and I still do – I believe the generous sherry helps compensate for the lighter spirit resulting from the triple distillation. After several minutes, a pleasant, mild barnyard aroma emerges, significantly enhancing the complexity. Palate: Sherry sweetness mingles with Springbank funk. My initial impression is quite favorable. There's a delicate and novel balance between these two profiles. At older ages, I find sherry tends to overwhelm the Springbank character, but in this younger expression, it seems to amplify it. From the sherry, I discern cherry and a subtle nutty (faint English walnut) oiliness. Hints of decadent raisin syrup are present. I'm now also detecting notes from bourbon barrels, revealing wonderful cinnamon and vanilla. Naturally, the Springbank funk comes through with smoke, barnyard, seashells, a touch of iodine, hints of sea spray, and an additional whisper of mineral saltiness. The malt contributes a rich, browned butter caramel quality. The skillful balance creates a highly enjoyable dram. Finish: Lingering cherry with a rich, nutty oiliness. Some bitter rancio, with underlying iodine and occasional hints of seashells. - Conclusion - I was genuinely apprehensive about this bottle, so I'm delighted to discover it's actually quite superb! In my opinion, this bottle embodies the quintessential Springbank, masterfully blending its natural character with sherry and bourbon cask influences. It might lean a bit heavily on the sherry, though I suspect most would appreciate that. The execution and balance here are notably superior to my bottle of Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength (rated 19/23). While that's a fine dram, this release integrates its flavors in a far more refined manner and lacks the sulfur notes present in the Springbank 12. The Lismore 21 Year Old (rated 19/23) is complex but appears somewhat muddled compared to this and exhibits some sulfur. Just as I perceive the sherry to be a bit dominant, the bourbon notes re-emerge to provide balance. And, of course, the inherent Springbank character remains present throughout. This warrants at least a score of 20. This presents a rating challenge as I have few drams in this high range. The complexity and balance remind me strongly of the 2018 Springbank 18 Year Old bottling (rated 22/23), which I enjoyed so much I almost gave it a perfect score. While the Glenfarclas 25 Year Old (rated 23/23, though this particular bottle has been exposed to considerable oxygen) offers a rich, Christmas cake-like decadence that this cannot match, and features a bold layer of tannic oak with prominent vanilla, it is immensely full and rich. In contrast to the Glenfarclas's maturity, this expression feels youthful and carries an ethanol burn. Considering the Glenfarclas bottle has oxidized to a point where it might be closer to a 22, this assessment suggests the Hazelburn is at best a low 21. I am frankly thrilled with this bottle. My purchase was driven by widespread praise for Hazelburn, only for respected reviewers to subsequently post less favorable assessments. I was quite concerned, but I believe this situation, similar to the Springbank 18, highlights a divergence in my preferences compared to theirs, particularly concerning Springbank. This might be a bold statement, but I'm awarding this a 21. Yes, its youthfulness and alcohol are more apparent now that I've tasted it alongside the Glenfarclas 25, but there's still a wealth of complexity and delicious flavors. It certainly doesn't feel thin. I feel this is approximately as much of an improvement over the Springbank 12 as the Glenfarclas 25 is over this. Given the Springbank 12 is a solid 19 and the Glenfarclas 25 is a 23 that may have dropped to a 22, a score of 21 seems appropriate. Actually, upon direct comparison, I'm finding this expression to be closer to the Springbank 12 than the Glenfarclas 25, so I'm settling on a 20. Nevertheless, I am very pleased with this dram, and I can certainly envision elevating it to a 21 in a future review (though a 22 seems improbable). What a relief.

This is the successor to the remarkable 2020 version of Hazelburn 13, a blend of bourbon and sherry casks bottled at 48.6%. The nose initially presents a light blend of bourbon and sherry, followed by sun-dried hay and cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookies. Then come the complex fruits of baked salty lemon, orange, and poached pear, transitioning into a light peat smoke, the sensation of sea water crashing over coastal rocks, and vanilla cream, all without any ethanol burn. The taste has a thin mouthfeel, starting with a light blend of bourbon and sherry, followed by barnyard hay, then the complex fruits of baked salted orange, lemon, and pear. A moderate level of sulfur and spice enters at mid-palate, overpowering the other notes but eventually fading to a light peat smoke, subtle minerality, and vanilla extract with a slight ethanol burn. The finish is medium in length, with lingering sulfur bitterness, chocolate-covered raisins, light campfire ash, ocean sea salt, and baked oranges. The nose began promisingly with light aromas of a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, barnyard hay, cinnamon raisin cookies, citrus fruits, and light smoke, with some minerality carrying over to the palate. However, it quickly turns bitter with an overload of sulfur and spice that fades but then re-emerges on the finish, overpowering the complex fruits. Sadly, this is nowhere near the amazing 2020 version, which was entirely oloroso casks. A side-by-side comparison truly highlights the thinner mouthfeel, bitterness, and imbalance of the 2021 version. I must now wait patiently and hopefully for the 2022 version to come out, to hopefully restock my dwindling supply of Hazelburn 13.

Nose - Lemon, orange peel, apple, toffee, vanilla, floral notes, flint, apricot, with a moderate ethanol burn. Taste - Apple, salted caramel, vanilla, lemon, orange, pineapple, floral notes, bitter walnut, nutmeg, chocolate, sweet oak, flint, a moderate alcohol bite, with a medium length finish featuring apple, sour citrus, and floral flavors. So the 2020 Hazelburn 13 was amazing. How does the 2021 release compare? While the previous version was 100% matured in fresh oloroso casks, this one is a blend of 25% oloroso and 75% bourbon casks. And that difference is apparent. The nose is much more akin to the standard Hazelburn 10 Year's than it is to last year’s release. It presents as lemony with creamy caramel and vanilla alongside fresh apples and a pleasant floral quality. The palate focuses more on apples, sour citrus, and a bitter, not entirely tannic, nuttiness. The mouthfeel is average, as is the finish. I don’t enjoy this nearly as much as the 2020 version. It drinks like an amplified Hazelburn 10 Year, which isn't bad but it's not as exceptional as the other. While the prior version had a touch of youth, it was much less noticeable here with the dominance of bourbon casks. And it detracts from the overall experience. Nevertheless, it's good and I'd happily consume this. But I wouldn't be eager to purchase a bottle of it. Many thanks to a friend for providing the generous sample!

Nose: Dried fruit - raisins, chocolate, coffee Palate: Citrus, orange, chocolate, black pepper, oak, dried fruit Finish: Medium finish, gristy, oak, raisins, coffee. This whisky has a diluted quality to it. Not bad, but it feels like something is absent in its complexity. Generally acceptable. 1 of 9,900 bottles

Compared to the 2020 version, the sherry influence is much less prominent. I detect more apple and honey flavors. There's also a hint of the typical Springbank character. Overall, it's quite good. Better than Hazelburn 10, but not as enjoyable as the 2020 Hazelburn 13. Many thanks to a friend for the sample!

It possesses that distinctive Springbank funk (minerality) alongside muted sherry notes. Unimpressed.