Springbank 12YO Cask Strength 2021 (Batch 23)

Batch 23 - the 100% bourbon batch! Nose - Springbank has become wonderfully refined while retaining its distinct character and funk. This bottling, aged entirely in ex-bourbon casks, captures that essence perfectly. Oak, citrus, and classic Springbank malt. This isn't a whisky defined by the quantity of its notes, but by the quality of their execution. Taste - In contrast to the well-executed nose, the palate is anything but simple. It's big, bold, and layered. It starts with the sweet, sugary cookie malt characteristic of Springbank. Then comes bitter citrus and a whisper of oak. Following that, the peat emerges, an intense, old whisky note (did they add extra at bottling?) with a strong presence of citrus and oak bitters, sugars, vanillas, and indeed, lovely peat weaving in layers of complexity. An exceptional finish! My rating is 3.75 for morning or evening enjoyment. While not my absolute favorite Springbank 12, this is as skillfully made, executed, and technically sound as Springbank gets. I'm really enjoying these recent batches.

Initially, it's all creamy, delicious vanilla sweetness, then it shifts to some excellent orange (sour orange?) notes in the mid and late palate, along with a nice, rounded smokiness. Nothing harsh about this one, yet it still has enough Springbank character to distinguish itself from other whiskies aged solely in bourbon casks. Adding a couple of drops of water makes the nose explode with more vanilla and introduces another layer of barley sugar sweetness. Delicious! I'm very fortunate to have found a couple of older bottles of this at a random store stop.