Support Local

Hipster movements are all about authenticity, craft, and supporting local. Well, as some say, you can't get very much more hipster than the Springbank 'Local Barley'. Barley grown within walking distance of the distillery, and every single part of the process done on-site...

I originally intended to write some long pre-amble about the loss of regional distinctiveness due to the importation of barley and usage of casks, but, you know what, let's not waste time and get to the whisky. It's that good.

Springbank 'Local Barley' 16 years old, 2016 (54.3% abv)

Nose - Initial blast of sweet jam, followed by a solid waft of grass and hay, which transits nicely into oak. After a bit of time, vanilla, honey, and fresh berries come to dominate the nose. There's a bit of peat and charred wood-smoke. There's oil and a hint of rust. There's a bit of rubber as well. Rust and rubber? So that's a rusty bicycle wheel? A malty, slightly sulphurous background. This is Springbank, with a little more sugar than usual. This is really good barley.

Palate - A big burst of alcohol heat, which quickly settles down to reveal a ton of fresh fruits - rock melon, lemons, grapefruit. Sweet and sour, and big. Fruit sweetness transits into honey and vanilla. This is a really sweet entry. After the sweetness subsides, oak and a touch of bitterness emerges - orange and lemon peel, orange pith. Fairly spicy on pepper and nutmeg. There's a subtle peat smoke influence behind all this. Hints of minerality (limestone, I imagine) peppered throughout, but this isn't the main draw. There's also a solid hint (what's a solid hint??) of malted barley sugars.

The layering of flavours is astounding. Smooth transitions across a wide range of flavours that are well-balanced and totally complementary. An amazing ride.

Finish - Smoke and charred wood, then tea tannins. Some spice, and then drying. The finish lingers long and actually develops a little berry-sour in the aftertaste. Wow.

With water - Water smooths out the alcohol, and brings out a richness in texture that wasn't as evident neat. I think water brings out a bit of sherry influence - richer in texture, almost velvety, and more firmly fruity. However, the structured development gets lost a bit. Grass, oak and rubber come out more prominently, and there's more pepper in the finish. Water makes this a gentler dram, and still an excellent sipper, but I think I'll keep the complexity, even if that leaves the whisky a little rougher.

Overall - This is mind-blowing-ly good. Great breadth of flavour profile, making the whisky complex. Sweeter than usual, yet not losing the distinctiveness of the distillery. Structured and long without losing coherence. Development even in the finish (!!). This is unbelievably good. The age is a great balance between the distillate and barrel, and I think I've read somewhere before that 16 to 18 is about the best age for a Springbank. I love it. There were only 9000 bottles worldwide, and prices have jumped at least 3 times since the release earlier in the year. Hard to find any more affordable bottles of this, I'm afraid.

Excellent example of the perfect harmony between human labour and the land - this whisky is the land, the barley, the natural processes of fermentation, and human craft singing together in worship of their maker, in whom all things are reconciled and made perfect.

This is still available at Auld Alliance for $48 a dram. Pricey, but I have no regrets.

Clynelish 14 and Springbank 10 "100 Proof"

Went to check out the sale at a whisky bar/retailer today, and was massively disappointed. The fb event page suggested that the sale was going to be big, with discounts of up to 50% on some brands, like the Old Malt Cask series, which I've liked. So, I was really gutted to realize that the bar had its original prices so marked up, the bottles were still expensive after the 50% discount. A 15 year Clynelish OMC for $180? A 14 year Clynelish from Signatory for $170? And these prices were after a 50% and 35% discount respectively. Ouch. PY and I went down, and walked out without getting anything. I think I can get things of similar age and quality at La Maison for a lower price, before discount.

So, off we went, and what better way to wash away the disappointment than a short walk to Auld Alliance?

Clynelish 14 (OB, 46% abv)

Nose - Fairly big malty nose, supplemented by a healthy dose of smoke, oranges, lemon, and something that smells a little like leather. Did this mature in a refill sherry cask? The balance on this nosing is towards the zesty fruits after the big malty attack fades. A bit spicy as well! Pretty promising!

Palate - This is oily, but a fairly thin texture. The texture doesn't detract from the quality of the whisky though! Big oranges this time, with quite a bit of lemons as well. There is a strong bitter note too. Not sure where that came from, but after a while, it feels a bit like... you know, the white part of the orange? The white fibrous thing between the juicy parts and the skin? Yea, that one. What do you call that?? A bit drying, with suggestions of leather. This does feel suspiciously like a refill sherry cask. A little salty, but this is not as coastal as I thought it would be. Not much honey nor heather either, though it is sweet - vanilla, and something that feels like sherry. Maybe my suspicions about the cask are playing tricks on my tongue. A bit of caramel - colouring?

Finish - Smoke, oranges, and, surprisingly, the bitterness stays with you. Hmm. Not a very long finish, which is, I think, good, considering the bitter notes.

Overall - Good, but not amazing. I prefer Springbank (but you already know that), though this is better than the "modern" entry level whiskies from many other distillers. This is similar in age and region to the Oban 14 - this is better, but not by much. So, onto the Springbank!

Springbank 10 "100 Proof" (OB, 57%)

Nose - PY and I found this nose quite a Jekyll and Hyde, except that both sides are good. Does that make sense? First nosing is salty and very coastal. Sea breeze, salted fish, and umami. Strong mineral presence too. After a while in the glass, there's a lot of lemons and other citrusy stuff. Sweet - honey, I think, and a bit of...flowers? On first nosing, I hardly got the lemony and fruity side to this, but on second nosing, the saltiness wasn't present. Odd. But in a pleasant surprise sort of way. There's also some smoke, and a light touch of peat.

Palate - Big coastal attack - like a beach landing in a war. Just a little less dramatic. Salty, and a touch of seaweed, I think. This turns to oranges and lemons, with quite a bit of smoke and a little bit of peat. It's like the two noses came in different waves and had a rendezvous on the tongue. There's a lot of classic Springbank in this - mineral, slightly oily, and a raw edge that suggests something earthy or rocky. It's not as big as the 12 yo cask strength, but it's a big step up from the standard 10. Pity that it seems that this one was discontinued.

Finish - This one lasts forever. PY had a sip of water, and realized that the finish was still there after the water. Finishes on spices - ginger, cinnamon, pepper, saffron...? Smoke continues, as does hints of lemon.

Overall - This one is good.

Islay Festival - An independent Bunnahabhain and the Springbank 18

Bunnahabhain 27 years 1987/2014 (bottled for the Auld Alliance, 99 bottles only, 49.1% abv)

Nose: Honey, caramel, heather, light smoke, and a little salty. The mix of honey, caramel and saltiness gives this a bit of a toffee smell

Palate: The toffee continues, and is made more complex by the addition of some light leather (is this the faint trace of an old refill sherry cask?) Some flowers, don't ask me which ones. A little fruity, apples and berries. Pretty good! The honey and caramel are less pronounced, making this a whisky that doesn't quite come across as being sweet. For something that's been around for 27 years, there isn't a strong cask influence - or at least, I'm not detecting too much oak, vanilla, or too strong a sherry cask imprint on the whisky.

Finish: Minerals, and smoke right at the back, like a good Bunnahabhain. Not very long, but this is fairly classy. A bit citrusy too, but as with the flowers, I'm not sure what fruit that is.

Overall: Oh, an Islay that is neither peaty nor medicinal! Hurray! This is pretty good! Not very big, but classy. I like that the wood isn't overt and rude. This one worked out to about $40 a glass at the Auld Alliance. Hmm. Not quite value for money, even though it is pretty good. Thanks JE for your tasting notes as reference! Next up...

Springbank 18 (46% abv)

Nose: Leather and a lot of big, malty notes - a really thick porridge. Salty and slightly peaty too. The coastal characteristics are there, but they're balanced off with some berry fruits and a bit of a citrusy, sour touch that reminds me of yoghurt. After a while, Springbank's minerals pokes through - a bit of...wet rock? Calcium? I'll visit a limestone cave one day and try to nail down this scent.

Palate: Fruit punch on entry - think berry and orange mix. This then turns to salt, and a return of the leather. And big malts again. An oatmeal porridge with salt sprinkled in, like my mum used to have for breakfast. I liked the taste but hated the texture - so having that taste in a whisky is frankly a good compromise. The malt and fruits take a break as some minerals break through - like a siesta, the big flavours take a break to reveal some good, clean mineral water that has flowed over rocks and soil before ending up in this whisky. Some peat, and then pepper.

Finish: black tea and orange peel. This is quite a tannin-ed finish, if there's such a word. But it's not excessively drying, which is good. The oranges, smoke and pepper kept me salivating.

Overall: I've had the Springbank 10, 12 and 15 before this. I think this is more restrained than the other 3. The 10 is clearer and simpler in its delivery, giving a good and straightforward Springbank experience. The 15 was a bit odd, like they could not find the balance between the sherry and boubon casks. The sour notes in the 15 become rather pleasant berry and orange notes in this 18, so that's great. But I wish the 18 had bigger minerality, salinity, waxier and, just more complex. Maybe more years in the casks would impart even more depth. The 18 feels like its on the cusp of greatness - the rawness of the spirit has been tamed, but the cask has not had enough time to enrich it enough. The 12 was great because it was a powerful young Springbank. The 18 does not feel like its old enough yet. Still good, but on the border of greatness looking in.

Perhaps it's a bit sacrilegious to rate a Springbank higher than an Islay during the Islay festival week...but that's what it is. Oops. Sorry.

Springbank 12 Cask Strength (53.8% abv)

The long-awaited Springbank 12!

This is the one that I've been eager to open: the Springbank 12 Cask Strength. There have been several batches of the Springbank 12 Cask Strength thus far. Each batch has had a unique ABV, and this one is at 53.8%, which makes it Batch 11, I believe. I bought this at Vom Fass a couple of months ago at slightly under $150, and have been saving it for a good occasion. Now seems like a good time, with Practicum almost over.

This batch of the 12 year cask strength was matured in a mix of casks. 70% of this came from malt matured in sherry casks, and the remaining 30% from whisky aged in bourbon casks. This should be exciting.

Springbank 12 years, Cask Strength (53.8% abv)

Colour: Dark gold, which turns to light gold bordering on straw with water added.

Nose: In this newly opened bottle, the alcohol is strong. Perhaps it will mellow a little with time. Apart from the alcohol, there's a slight metallic edge to the nose. Sea breeze with a bit of algae in it, and maybe some charred wood too. Some leather, sherry wine, and peat. The peat takes a back seat and only comes out close to the end. That's really polite.

With water: Similar, but gentler. A little whiff of vanilla.

Palate: Wine on entry, though this gets swiftly overtaken by an explosion of spices and alcohol burn. There's peat, charred wood, and salt. The peat in this tastes like burnt vegetables - reminds me a bit of parsley. The sherry cask makes itself felt - there's a bit of sherry richness, and rubber too. After holding it in for a bit, a touch of honey emerges. This is good. The higher abv makes it a bit of a rough ride, but there's a deep complexity in this, for sure.

With water: It becomes fruitier. Orange peel, tannins from grape pips. It doesn't lose its alcohol burn, but water does tame the ferocity. Less peat and a sweeter entry. There's some mineral edge to this. Tastes a little like... a wet rock?!? The peat goes down, but the taste of charred wood and smoke becomes stronger. This one goes very well with water. I really like this. It's like drinking a fireplace that's burning fruit wood. Does that make sense? Why do I keep using fireplace metaphors when there's no such thing in Singapore??? Is this a neo-colonial imperial hegemony of the mind?!?

Finish: Salty and spicy. There's a lot of pepper, and a bit of ginger juice squeezed in too. A bit of oak, and then smoke. Great.

With water: Cinnamon! Wow! Yummy stuff. Pepper gets toned down a little, but much more ginger is released. There's more smoke as well.

Overall:
Personally, this Springbank was my favourite of the four that we had tonight (the other three being the Santis, the Oban 14, and the Hakushu 18). While the Hakushu 18 was very smooth and remains one of my favourites, the Springbank 12 has a complexity and depth that I think the Hakushu 18 misses out on in exchange for smoothness and elegance. The Springbank is edgier, like a rock concert, while the Hakushu 18 is closer to an orchestra. Without water, this whisky is a little rough and tumble. Great, but definitely not easy. Thankfully, it takes water really well. It doesn't lose its "masculinity", but instead, is more like a heavyweight boxer in a suit, when, without water, it's like a heavyweight boxer in his fighting gear.

Great stuff. I want more Springbanks... Thanks LT for the company!

International Whisky Day Post

27 March is International Whisky Day, in honour of Michael Jackson, one of the greatest whisky writers. He's passed on already, after a long fight with Parkinson's Disease. Check out this website (http://www.internationalwhiskyday.org/), raise a glass to the man, and donate some money to the cause!

A couple of drinks to post here today...

Springbank 15 - I'm trying to get into Springbank, with its hipster credentials and stuff. They do the whole whisky making process on site, from malting to bottling. Once in a while, Springbank produces "Local Barley" whiskies too. These ones use barley that have been grown locally. Can't get more hipster than that, especially in the multi-national production processes whiskies go through nowadays. Partially influenced by http://www.benswhisky.co.uk/, whose writer had this magnificent Springbank phase. Think he's drank every Springbank available on the market over a couple of years. Here's my take on the Springbank 15.

Nose - sherried upfront, then turns to the smells that we've come to expect from Springbank. Some antiseptic, some machine oil. A bit of peat, and some of the oak comes through. Fairly spirit driven, though it seems like the wood had more say in this than in the 10 year old.

Palate - Initial entry is a bit sour, like wine. Then it becomes slightly savoury, meaty even. Peat and smoke rise up next, which then turns to grass. Something that reminds me of truffle, but not as pungent and overpowering. There's some oak, which takes the edge of Springbank's spirit-driven character. The slightly salty, slightly metallic taste seems like a Springbank signature. Gotta try the 18 next time...

Finish - Smoke, and a bit more meat. A touch of sourness lingers on the back of the throat. Not unpleasant, but feels more wine than sherried whisky. It's a bit bitter too, and not in a pleasant, dark chocolate way. Hmm. Like...I'm not sure what's this bitterness. Thankfully, it's not prominent.

Overall - pretty good, but I think I preferred the 10. More straightforward, less cask influence, and perhaps a purer Springbank experience. I've still not opened my 12 year Cask Strength. Soon, soon...

Quick impressions on the Miyagikyo 15, Glendronach 18 Allardici, Springbank 10, Laphroaig Triple Wood, Laphroaig 15 (tasted at Auld Alliance)

Went to Auld Alliance with a couple of friends, and these were what we tried on the night. With so many different flavours, I'm sure my tongue was desensitized to some of the flavours, and might have gotten some of them wrong. If you want to try stuff, head to Auld Alliance. It's one of the best whisky bars in Singapore, with a huge collection - the menu is 74 pages. Great collection of Japanese whiskies too, though many of the rare malts command a pretty penny. The managers of the bar love whisky, and are really knowledgeable about the market and the drinks. They're glad to chat if the bar's not too busy.

Miyagikyo 15 - It's been announced that production for aged Miyagikyos will be put on hold, and stock is dwindling around the world. This has driven prices up, up and away, out of reach of most normal consumers. Thus, when I found out that the Auld Alliance was selling it at $30 per glass, I took it as an opportunity to try something I'll probably never buy.

Nose: Some fruit comes up first. Deeper inhalations, and it feels like unripe bananas. Some flowers in there. Lavender? Not certain. A little nutty, sweet malt, some grass, and oak. Nothing that really stands out per se, fairly well balanced on the whole.

Palate: Well-balanced, but again, nothing really stands out. Same things on the palate as on the nose, with the addition of some wood spice. Pleasant.

Finish: Medium-short. Spice, a little bit of the fruit lingers.

Pleasant, but there's no way I'm paying current market price for a bottle of this.

Glendronach 18 - A sherry bomb. Not ranked as highly as the 15 Revival, but reviews still seem pretty good.

Nose: Rich raisins.

Palate: Initial burst of raisins, then it becomes somewhat leathery, rubbery, nutty, and a little bit of spice to keep the flavours interesting. The body isn't as heavy. Pretty smooth. A good whisky, though the sherry fruits are a little shy.

Finish: Some spice, wood, a little rubbery.

Not too bad, but I won't be ditching the Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask for this.

Springbank 10 - I loved it.

Nose - Something a little industrial. A little antiseptic, a little salty, machine oil, suggestions of peat, grass, and sweet.

Palate: Grassy and refreshing. The peat is light, and comes in waves, serving to refresh the palate to find new flavours after each wave of peat. Sweet. Did this spend time in a bourbon cask? A little salty, which weirdly works well with the industrial-like thing.

Finish: Not long, but the peat, sweetness and refreshing grass goes down well. Refreshing. This is getting me excited for my unopened Springbank 12 Cask Strength, batch 11.

Laphroaig 15 - 

Nose - Ashy, medicinal. A little...oaky? Almond. Smells sweet, though that is obscured somewhat by the ashy peat.

Palate - The peat takes over, ashy and medicinal. Not too strong a body. My friend felt that the Lagavulin 16 is much richer, and it only spent one more year in the wood than this.

Finish: Short. Ashy, a little smoke (like charcoal), a little spice, and no more.

Laphroaig Triple Wood - My friend's favourite out of his Laphroaig vertical, which included the 10 and Quarter cask as well.

Nose - More stuff going on here. Suggestions of fruit. A bourbon-like sweetness. The peat is less ashy and more medicinal, compared to the 15. Oak is present. Not that many new flavours, but this one is layered better, I feel.

Palate - I probably am wrong, but I think my first impression was that of jack fruit. Sweetness and peat finds a nice balance in this one. Medicinal, and a little spicy. A bit of nut and rubber. After tasting this, I guessed that the three woods are Bourbon, sherry, and probably a new cask, which made it sweeter. Checking online revealed that this whisky spent time in Bourbon, the Quarter Cask, and Oloroso. Not bad. It tastes like how it's made.

Finish - Nice balance of peat and spice. Smoke on the finish, which is nice. I tend to like light, smoky finishes that heavier, peaty ones. A bit like tea too. My friend says it's kinda like the drying effect of a good Oolong tea. I don't disagree.