Whisky Review #58 – Springbank 17 Years Sherry Wood

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We visited Quaich Bar recently to catch up with the wonderful people there and had some special drinks that are available at the bar. Springbank 17 Years Sherry Wood was one of them. Now, this is different from the Springbank 17 Years Sherry Wood CASK STRENGTH version, which we did not get the chance to try it yet. This baby here is bottled at 49.2%, much lower than the Cask Strength of 52. 3%.

Let’s dive into the review!

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Deep Amber
ABV: 49.2%

Nose: Strong sherry (read: caramel) with relatively high sulphuric notes. There is a hint of white pepper hiding in the background. After airing for 15 minutes, sweet aromas of honeyed meat (like honeyed bbq meat) waft into the nose elegantly. The sulphuric notes recede into the background. (17/20)

Palate: Oily mouthfeel with sweet caramel coating the palate at the first sip. Malt is noticeable on the palate as well with a hint of sulphur at the back of the tongue. After 15 minutes, the sweet caramel becomes more prominent, coming firmly to the forefront and muscling the malt and sulphur out of the way. Peppery spice springs out as well, bringing an additional layer of complexity to the palate. (17/20)

Finish: It is a relatively long finish with sweet caramel lingering in the mouth. (16/20)

Body: It is a lovely full-bodied whisky with a robust profile. Moderately complex for a 17 years old especially after airing the whisky. Makes me want to try the cask strength version to see how it differs. (32/40)

Total Score: 82/100

Comments:

Geek Flora: “Well, it is a great dram, but perhaps I was looking for more complexity in the whisky. Nonetheless, it is a bottle that I would gladly buy if my pocket allows it as I think it is an interesting whisky to share amongst good friends.” 

 

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    Whisky Review #57 – Springbank Vintage 1997 Single Cask #789

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    Most whisky lovers like to try single cask bottling because of the rarity it invoked and the uniqueness of the liquid. We are not any different. We tried this bottle of Springbank Vintage 1997 single cask (#789) some time ago and wanted to share our review because we love it.

    This bottle is different from the Springbank Vintage 1997 batch 1 and 2. Bottled at 59.2% abv, the alcohol level in this whisky is higher than both batch 1 (at 55.2% abv) and batch 2 (at 54.9% abv).

    Let’s dive into the review!

    Tasting Notes:

    Colour: Soft Amber
    ABV: 59.2%

    Nose: Slight peat with the first nose but sweet caramel surfaces quickly to complement the gentle peat. Citrusy lemon appears after 5 minutes and lingers in the background. (17/20)

    Palate: Oily mouthfeel with sweet caramel coating the palate pleasantly. Spice lingers warmly in the background to give an extra kick. The peat in the nose does not exist in the palate. (16/20)

    Finish: Long finish with pleasant sweet caramel and warm spice. The spice disappears quickly, leaving only a pleasant sweet ending and a surprising waft of smoke n the breath.(18/20)

    Body: It is not the most well-balanced single cask but still lovely nonetheless. The complexity is also not well-established, but the caramel notes was a beautiful cover for the spice and slight peat. (30/40)

    Total Score: 81/100

    Comments:

    Geek Flora: “I was very excited to try this single cask honestly but felt a little let down after drinking it. I love it nonetheless because the palate is different from the usual Springbank portfolio. I will try it again (we have a reserved sample even though the bottle is gone!) and update the notes if it changes.”

     

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