Springbank Society 8 Year Fresh Sherry Hoghsheads January 2021

The aroma is a combination of rich chocolate and earthy funk, followed by buttery cinnamon raisin toast, then sun-baked salted orange, baked apple, and charred lemon notes that shift to a mineral cave-like quality, light ginger, and mild oak, with a powerful ethanol burn. The palate offers a syrupy, rich mouthfeel, beginning with moderate spice before a mix of rich chocolate, toasted nuts, and earthy funk, followed by cinnamon raisin cookies, then sun-baked salted orange, baked apple, and charred lemon flavors that transition to a cave-like minerality, light ginger, and mild oak, with a significant ethanol burn. The finish is medium in length, featuring dark chocolate-covered raisins, charred orange peel, lemon drop candy, freshly cut hay, and light oak. The nose is superb, making me feel like a character from Gladiator walking through wheat fields while eating a rich chocolate bar, followed by slightly funky fruits, minerality, and light oak that carries over to the palate with mild spice and toasted nuts, concluding with dark chocolate, citrus, and mellow earthy funk. The cask strength brings out those signature notes with big, bold flavors, but the youth and moderate spice on the palate are my primary criticisms. This was an exceptional treat that a friend was generous enough to share and a fantastic start to my exploration of these spirits. The cask strength really delivers bold flavors, but the youth and spice are my main drawbacks.

Aroma - flinty peat, plum, fig, apricot, chocolate malt, honey, nutmeg, molasses, powdered sugar, sweet floral notes, candied orange, mint, hay, with moderate alcohol burn. Taste - oily peat, chocolate malt, hay, ginger, lemon, charred orange, cardamom, black cherry, apricot, nutmeg, toasted oak, spiced apple, honey, with a moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with notes of sherry-matured fruit, oily peat, chocolate, and baking spices. I'm concluding my review series with this 8-year-old Springbank Society release, aged in new sherry hogsheads and bottled at a robust 57.3%. The aroma is fantastic. I'd describe this as a sherry bomb. The characteristic Springbank funk is present, but it's wonderfully complemented by malted chocolate, dark stone fruits, and strong baking spices. The palate arrives with intensity, featuring rich dark fruits, overripe zesty citrus, more chocolate, and earthy peat. The texture is thick, and the finish is decadent. We were recently discussing our favorite drinks for cold weather. This would be a strong contender. It's about as close to Christmas in a bottle as Springbank gets. It's delicious, and I would love to own a bottle. A huge thanks to a friend for the generous sample. This one is outstanding.

Yeah baby. Springbank. Probably the only distillery that I’ve always consistently ranked 4+ stars. They can do no wrong. Yeah…they’re pricey, but they put in the effort and worth every penny, in my opinion at least. Unlike those blokes at Ardbeg who put out a special limited edition that’s half as good as their core, but 3x more expensive. Tonight’s pour was sample #4 in an online tasting between some friends and me. Well, for me it was sample #3, since my lame ass wasn’t able to keep up. This was courtesy of my buddy. I’m three samples in, past my bedtime…so all I’ll write is “this is damn good…nutty caramel, gritty, funky…classic Springbank.” It’s Springbank. It can do no wrong. It can “shoot someone in the middle of 5th Ave” in NYC, and it’ll still be my favorite distillery. Thanks for the generous pour!

Excellent harmony between freshness and seasonal spices. Smell: Figs, Oranges, Spearmint, Sultanas, Dates, Sour Cherries Taste: Raisins, Figs, Oranges, Dates, Dark Chocolate, Mulled Wine, Gingerbread, Christmas Cakes Aftertaste: Raisins, Oranges, Salted Caramel, Figs, Grapefruits, Mangoes, Prunes