Springbank 23 year Calvert Woodley Single Cask

Rating: 16/23 Bottled at 42.5% ABV? That's unusual. I'm unsure if this indicates proofing down or significant alcohol loss over time. I'm slightly hesitant either way, but it's a 23-year-old Springbank, so that shouldn't be a major concern. Nose: Heathery grassiness with a light malty sweetness supported by lightly toasted grain, a whiff of floral vanilla, possibly a hint of tangerine, and a bit of buckwheat. I definitely detect that farmy character, but not much smoke. There's also a touch of minerality with sweet water. It's surprisingly light and not exceptionally complex, but the flavors blend well, giving it depth. Palate: Hmm. It lacks fullness and has a distinctively unpleasant bitter layer. My initial thought about the low ABV might have been correct. It's the same bitter taste I experience when adding too much water to my whisky or leaving a small amount out for hours – that watery barrel residue flavor. To be clear, it's not just watery barrel residue, but that flavor is undeniably present. It's not as intense as pure watery barrel residue, but I haven't encountered another dram with such a high level of that character. There's still some enjoyable toasty grain mixed with earthy, heathery, dry grass, a slightly meaty (a hint of smoke, perhaps) farm character. A touch of astringent waxiness leads into pleasant cinnamon with a hint of clove, starting to bring in the barrel influence. A hint of rich, bitter mint with herbal and vegetal notes. That bitter layer is a significant issue, but once I get past it, there's a nice core profile. It resembles a classic Springbank 10 with added maturity. Some of the funkier flavors seem to have largely disappeared, which is unfortunate, but it retains a satisfying Springbank essence. Finish: Fairly rich. The bitterness persists, along with some toasty grain, dry grass, a hint of buckwheat, and a touch of sweet cinnamon. Not a bad finish considering lingering bitterness is common, but it's not great. - Conclusion - Trying this was very interesting, and it wasn't a bad dram overall, but I would have preferred any other Springbank distillery release (though the 15 isn't significantly better). The aging process unfortunately didn't work out. This is a prime example of one off-flavor spoiling the entire dram. The flavors are also too subdued. A bit of restraint is fine, but this is excessive. Following something like Springbank 15, the bitterness is the most prominent aspect here, while the other flavors are muddled. It's still not bad, but it falls short of expectations for a 23-year-old Springbank. The way Springbank 18 enhances depth and complexity while smoothing out imperfections is completely absent here. Compared to Lismore 21 (rated 19), which has much more definition, this highlights how indistinct this one is. Considering all this, I'd estimate its range to be around 17 at the high end. This might compete with Highland Park 16 Wings Of The Eagle (rated 17). The Highland Park is less complex, but its flavors are superior and more pronounced. Loch Lomond 12 (rated 16) is also in contention. It really depends on how bothersome I find that bitter flavor. I might rate it as low as 15 because of it, but I believe it still surpasses a 14 due to its pleasant, complex maturity hidden within. Upon revisiting a few days later, I thought the bitterness might be less offensive and the dram more balanced and complex. However, I revised that opinion after tasting it alongside Highland Park 16 Wings Of The Eagle and Loch Lomond 12 (rated 16). I'm settling on a 16 here, though I could be persuaded it's a 17. It's a shame because the age is quite evident, and it's clear that some excellent flavors are buried beneath that one problematic note. Thanks for sharing this. I feel like you understated it, but unfortunately, I must agree that it's nowhere near as good as I'd anticipate just from reading '23-year-old Springbank.' Nevertheless, it was a privilege to try it.

It's officially 2022, and I've decided to embrace the new year with a series of samples. Continuing my exploration of this distillery's offerings, I have a 23-year single barrel release by Calvert Woodley, bottled at 42.5%. The nose is quite delicate, starting with a light farmyard funk, hay, and a blend of lemon, lime, and orchard fruits, followed by ocean brine and burning incense that recedes to reveal fruits like star fruit, baked apple, Bosc pear, and charred orange peel. This then transitions to a damp, cavernous minerality, pickled ginger, suede, and polished oak with a faint ethanol burn. The taste has a thin mouthfeel, beginning with a light farmyard funk, hay, and mild citrus, followed by a moderate, drying spicy bitterness that fades into fruits such as baked apple, Bosc pear, and red grapefruit. This evolves into a damp, cavernous minerality, black pepper, pickled ginger, and lightly ashy oak with a mild ethanol burn. The finish is brief, with notes of apple chips, poached pears, salted red grapefruit, dark chocolate, and lightly ashy oak. This is a pleasant pour that offers a balance of barnyard funk, citrus, moderate smoke, and ocean brine, but the flavors are quite subtle, and the palate is thin with a moderate bitter spice that overshadows many of the delicate citrus notes, resulting in a short, fruity, and ashy finish. When compared side-by-side with the 10-year-old, I find the 10 to be richer, with more pronounced flavors and better balance. Sadly, this is an instance where older isn't necessarily superior, but I am very grateful to a friend for the chance to sample a 23-year-old from this distillery.

Nose: Lemon, tangerine, pineapple, flinty peat, vanilla cream, cinnamon, hay, green apple, grape, with a mild to moderate alcohol burn. Taste: Lemon zest, pineapple, sour apple, bitter walnut, cinnamon, vanilla, brine, pear, mild peat, honey, a moderate alcohol bite. The finish is medium-short, featuring lemon, sour apple, and light peat flavors. In my rush to review the excellent 8 Year Society bottling, which I believed was the last in the series, I overlooked this 23 Year single cask from Calvert Woodley, bottled at 42.5% alcohol. To be honest, this one is easier to forget. However, at under $200 for the bottle, I couldn't resist. It seemed too good to be true, and unfortunately, it was. The nose is quite fruity and aromatic. The bottle doesn't specify the cask type, but I suspect it was bourbon, given the strong resemblance to my 18 Year core range bottle from 2018. It presents lemon, tropical notes, and a less intense version of the characteristic barnyard funk. The palate shifts negatively; it's not terrible, but some of the pleasant aromas from the nose become sour and bitter on the palate. The texture is thin, and the finish is lacking. Overall, it's better than average, but that's not really acceptable for a bottle nearing $200. The texture and finish would likely improve at a higher proof, but I doubt the sourness and bitterness would decrease. Ultimately, this is probably just a subpar single cask, or at least as close to one as Springbank can produce.

On the nose, it's quite artificially perfumed and sweet, evoking SweeTart candies mixed with scratch-and-sniff stickers, along with a touch of barnyard funk. The palate is... intriguing. It's strangely saccharine yet bitter, reminiscent of SweeTarts again. I kind of like it, but it would become tiresome quickly. Short finish continues the theme. Many thanks to a friend for the sample.