Springbank 21 Year Oloroso Cask (Darkness)

From bottle 98. The nose offers abundant sherry, dark malt, citrus oil, leather, and Demerara sugar. It doesn't resemble a Springbank; it's more akin to a robust old Blair Athol or Benrinnes. The arrival is dry with significant sherry influence, featuring raisins, walnuts, and semi-sweet stewed and dried fruits like figs and dates. The Springbank character emerges as a meaty quality during development, though progression is limited. Notes of toffee, mild tannins, and gentle wood smoke are present. The mouthfeel is good, but not exceptional. The finish is medium to long, with sherry, aged oak, and stone fruits. This expression was bottled under the "Darkness" label, intended for whiskies with intense oloroso sherry finishing. It was aged 21 years before a six-month finish in octave casks, with 203 bottles released. Sherry lovers would likely appreciate this, but it largely conceals the Springbank character. I'd have preferred tasting it before the finishing. Water had minimal effect on the nose but increased the palate's sweetness. It's a decent whisky, but felt like a novelty rather than a highlight. Given the steep price, especially for a 500ml bottle, I can't recommend it except to dedicated Springbank collectors. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)