Springbank 26 TWE

It is 2022 and I have decided to embrace the new year with some samples. I'm concluding my collection of this distillery's offerings with a 26-year single cask from The Whisky Exchange, bottled at 44.6%. This spirit was quite reserved initially and required about an hour to overcome the influence of old wood before fruity and smooth flavors began to surface. Now that it has opened up, let's explore it. The aroma is substantial and rich, starting with aged wood, a moderate earthy funk, and a blend of mango, papaya, and prickly pear. This is followed by a gentle smoke with a sea breeze scent, which recedes to reveal notes of vanilla meringues, lychee, poached pear, and candied orange peel, leading to deep minerality, pickled ginger, suede, and polished mahogany, accompanied by a moderate alcohol vapor. The flavor presents a rich and creamy texture, beginning with aged wood, a moderate earthy funk, and a mix of mango, papaya, and prickly pear. This is succeeded by a light, ashy spice that gradually fades to vanilla creme brûlée, lychee, pear tart, and mandarin orange, transitioning to profound minerality, pickled ginger, suede, and polished mahogany, with a noticeable alcohol vapor. The conclusion is of medium duration, featuring sautéed apples, pear tart, red grapefruit, frosted vanilla cupcake, sea salt, prickly pear candy, mild campfire ash, suede, and aged polished wood. An exceptional drink to conclude the series! This is a robust, rich, and mature spirit with a blend of funk, tropical fruits, moderate smoke, minerality, and aged wood, all harmoniously balanced by a creamy mouthfeel that maintained everything in equilibrium. It was a pleasure to consume. This spirit truly needed time to develop and reveal its full character, but with patience, it continually evolved and improved with each sip until it sadly ran out. At nearly $60 for 5cl, this is a costly indulgence, but it offers a more accessible way to experience a very old bottling from this distillery compared to the current price of over $1000 for a 25-year-old.