Springbank Single Cask 18 Year Fresh Port

My apologies, I made a mistake with the age; this is an 18 year old, not 19. My phone caused the confusion, though I should have double-checked. The aroma is dark and deep, with notes of dark fruit. It's not the usual raisin or lighter fruit flavor, but more like fruit left to sit in a vat overnight. It's sweet with molasses, grape, and heavy caramel, surprisingly lacking any burnt character. The sweetness is very clean, complemented by many dark elements. The nose is quite inviting and would likely appeal to newcomers to scotch. The taste, however, is not beginner-friendly. It's incredibly intricate, presenting bitterness, sourness, oakiness, alcohol, saltiness, and funkiness – reminiscent of a damp basement with port undertones. This tastes like Springbank malt aged in a cask designed to highlight its funky side. The port cask heavily influences the malt, imparting a funk that strongly reminds me of Springbank. I've noticed a grape-like note in the aroma of this, the fresh sherry, and even the 25-year-old bottling, which seems to be appearing more in higher-end releases, similar to a Deanston 30-year-old. I really enjoy this developing characteristic. A common element in these heavily cask-influenced Springbanks is a bit more oak than I prefer, but it harmonizes well with the slightly peated/salty nature of Springbank. I've detected this in almost every age-stated Springbank whisky I've tried that was at least 18 years old, which isn't a negative but a distillery signature that confirms it's Springbank. This is truly a distinctive bottle, with 18-year-old single malts rarely seen in a first-fill port barrel, leading to remarkable results. Adding water enhances sweetness but also intensifies the oak and creates a finish with heavy tannins, which I surprisingly enjoy despite not typically seeking out that much tannin. Score: 4.0. Another exceptional single barrel from Springbank. This bottling deserves significant praise for its uniqueness. The intensity of the port finish and oak barrels might deter some, but for me, it's a delightful experience in a glass.

Mine is 52.2%, so perhaps not the exact same cask despite the age and other details appearing quite similar. A beautiful fruity aroma brings to mind fruit jelly, with a smoky note in the latter half of the sip, fine honey, and a slight "char" leading to a very pleasant finish. The complexity is clear as floral subtleties join with hints of rose water, along with a touch of candle wax in the nose itself, then strawberry jam before a peppery finale. Clearly, Springbank is top quality no matter the version!

Excellent product. Nose: Strawberries, Raspberries, Cherries, Dark Chocolate, Salted Toffee, Iodine, Plums, Vanilla, Bananas, Blueberries, Lavender, Dates. Palate: Dark Chocolate, Raisins, Smoke, Cherries, Toffee, Prunes, Dates, Pepper, Hazelnuts, Nutmeg, Almonds, Sea Salt, Diesel. Finish: Dark Chocolate, Cherries, Strawberries, Sea Salt, Toffee, Iodine.