Springbank 16 Year Local Barley

This review is truly unwarranted. I have far too little of this to properly assess it, but I absolutely must document this moment and memory. I won't get into lengthy political commentary, but the last two election cycles have been exhausting for everyone. The US apparently has a new President; time will tell if it's an improvement. While escaping the daily chaos seems appealing, the change in leadership isn't exactly a step up. So, to celebrate the end of the most disliked presidency of my life and to numb the pain of facing a new one I also dislike... let's do something EXTRAORDINARY! A whisky priced near $1000, and with less than half an ounce remaining... I'll give it my best shot. Apologies for the political digression, but it explains my state of mind while pouring and might be relevant to the drinker's perspective. A mix of happiness and unhappiness, perhaps 2020 in a nutshell? Nose: Wow! It's salty, sweet, and oaky. I can already sense the appeal. I can't pinpoint a specific fruit, but there's a wonderful fruitiness accompanied by sugar and salt. The overall impression is intensely sweet and sugary, balanced by salty and peaty notes from the Springbank. I don't yet discern the distinct barley. Revisiting, the local barley element is present, but it's candied barley. The age has clearly transformed it from younger, spirit-forward expressions to this, which showcases good cask maturation. Even at 16 years, the spirit retains its vibrancy. Taste: It's rich and malty, with notes of chocolate, savory flavors, and salt. It's like a Mars bar, followed by a magnificent peaty and earthy Springbank finish. Now I'm getting more chocolate, even some dark French vanilla, along with oak and peat. This is quite peated, and the pleasant barley from Springbank is coming through. A second taste reveals an amazing finish with peat, barley, and sweetness. Tootsie roll notes, both vanilla and regular, are emerging. I'm reluctant to rate this based on such a small sample, but it surpasses the 10-year-old version. The richness and depth are exceptional. A score of 4.25. It's not quite a $1000 bottle, but damn, this is good.

A 2oz pour at The Whiskey House in San Diego. Only Springbank can make something unappealing delicious. I get a note like your neighbor is having sex with abandoned cheap furniture next to the trash compactor, and it's been raining all week. There's that musty, rotting composite leather balanced perfectly with barley and charcoal. This strongly reminds me of Bruichladdich Islay barley in that the beautiful malt is really highlighted. It has a powerful brown sugar sweetness with yellow-orange fruits like lemons and peaches and mangoes. The Springbank 'rot' somehow adds balance and beauty. I don't get it! This reaches complexity levels that Bruichladdich can't achieve. It's a shame I can't find a bottle. I've had this at bars twice, and I'm sure I couldn't discover everything this whisky has to offer even if I owned a bottle. I would gladly spend a few hundred dollars for this. MARK: 95/100

This was the second beverage I sampled at a friend's place yesterday evening---and wow, it was memorable. I was unaware of its background when I tried it, other than it was a 16-year-old Springbank. This morning, after some online searching, I discovered it's made from "prisma" barley, which apparently was no longer used in production in the late 1960s due to its difficulty in cultivation and distillation. These bottles are now reportedly all sold out, or command exorbitant prices on the resale market. Nose: faint peat, charcoal, sweet. The palate is where it shows its strength: grilled lemon, cream, pears, and more charcoal. A lasting sweet finish. It apparently has a character not found in contemporary Springbank bottlings. Had I known its history before pouring myself a measure, I would have passed on the Balvenie 12 I had prior to this, and enjoyed more of this one.

Aroma: Abundant citrus, primarily tangerines and orange peels. Beeswax. Bee pollen. Faint ash. Earthy honey. Palate: Bright citrus, tangerines and mandarins. Heather honey. Some barley sugar. Beeswax and bee pollen. Wood and oak spice. A tingling, sweet mouthfeel. Subtle ash and smoke. Freshly wet earth. Vegetal notes. Finish: Complex and satisfying. Medium length and viscosity. A contemplative and truly unique dram. Adding water doesn't significantly alter it. Worth every penny. 93/100

It has a grainy smell, but I'm currently near a ripe grain field. The taste is slightly fruity (pear, apricot?) and very peppery afterward. I acquired it on Hven. (Addendum: After reading another description, I now perceive bittersweet Seville oranges and some ash).

Excellent whiskey. More peat than a typical Springbank. Salty and briny notes. Pear and citrus.