Hazelburn 8 Year

HAZELBURN SHOWDOWN Hazelburn 8-Year Hazelburn 14-Year Oloroso Cask Hazelburn is a brand produced by Springbank. While I've previously reviewed the Hazelburn 14 (April 21, 2022), I haven't yet reviewed the 8-year-old offering. I enjoy the Hazelburn 14 and Springbank, so let's see how the 8-year-old measures up. Hazelburn 8-Year A clear, light yellow hue. The nose is initially reserved but becomes quite fruity with patience, offering dried apricots, pear nectar akin to Oban, wet hay, apples, peach cobbler, a touch of pineapple, and salt. The palate has an oily, mouth-coating texture; the fruit notes appear first, followed by a honeyed sweetness. The finish starts with white pepper spice, a peanut brittle note typical of Springbank that I usually detect, and some drying tannins on a long finish, accompanied by a slight smoky character—even though this is a completely unpeated whisky, as is standard for all Hazelburn. The initial nose is reserved, but with patience, it becomes quite fruity. The slight smokiness is unusual given the absence of peat, and the drying finish detracts from the overall experience. The general impression is somewhat rustic. This whisky improves significantly after about 20 minutes of aeration. It appears this can be found online for around $200. I paid less than half that a few years ago; its high price is due to scarcity. Would I purchase it again? Not at the current price it commands (if it can even be found), but I am very pleased to own a bottle. 3.75 on the scale. 46% ABV. 5,100 bottles produced. Unpeated; non-chill filtered; no added coloring. Hazelburn 14-Year Oloroso Cask The sherry influence gives it a color similar to clear Pantone 160. The nose shows raisins, brown sugar, prunes, hazelnuts, toffee, some bacon fat, cocoa, and that characteristic Springbank peanut brittle. A beautiful palate in terms of both mouthfeel and flavor, with more dark fruits and a sweet and savory combination like fig paste with prosciutto. White pepper spice, and again, that Springbank peanut brittle on the finish, along with some smoke and a less intense version of the drying tannins I noticed in the 8-Year bottling. I adore this whisky. And who wouldn't? It's highly complex, featuring sweet, salty, and smoky notes, supported by a relatively high ABV. I didn't experience the tannic notes in this tasting that I did in my previous review. An easy 4.5 on the scale. 49.3% ABV. Distilled October 2004; bottled February 2019; 9,900 bottles produced. Non-chill filtered; no added coloring. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Consistent with my previous tasting notes from 10/6/23. Notes of dried pineapple, salinity, dried apricot, pears in syrup, a touch of iodine, and a subtle smokiness despite the absence of peat. It has an oily mouthfeel, with a white pepper note, the characteristic Springbank peanut brittle, and a slight bitterness (espresso? caramelized sugar?) on the finish. Despite its apparent complexity, I find older Hazelburn expressions and most of its Springbank relatives more appealing. This bottle is quite rare, and I wouldn't repurchase it once finished.

Light, revitalizing, and an excellent way to conclude a workday. This is rapidly becoming a preferred choice for me, offered at a reasonable price point as well.

An oaky, vanilla, and dark fruit aroma. A light mouthfeel with some underlying unusual notes. A bittersweet conclusion with drying fruit.

Enjoyably easy to drink. Not too intense but still engaging.

A fascinating Scotch from a particular location, it certainly possesses a salty characteristic.