Springbank 10YO tasting notes

Springbank 10YO OB 70cl 46% ABV
Matured in a combination of Bourbon (60%) and Sherry (40%) casks
Time code 26/11/24



Color: golden.
Nose: red apples, rubber, honey, peat, pineapples, smoke, ash, dill, sea breeze, chocolate, lacquer, cinnamon roll, star fruit, mango, pears, cocoa, coconuts, engine oil, lemons, herbs, mineral notes. Fruits, including tropical ones, and funkiness, what a beauty!
Taste: creamy, cold tea, apples, pears, chocolate, clove, peat, a touch of pepper, salt, lemons, green olives, melon. An extremely drinkable malt. There is some sweetness, but it never feels cloying.
Finish: ice cream, green olives, pepper, chocolate, salt, apples, pears, lemons, some peat.
Score: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: this entry level malt is really special and truly shines! I have tasted a couple of Springbank ten year old bottlings with different labels before, starting with one around 2008 without notes captured, then in 2010. The new one seems to be the best of them. Springbank is the only Scottish distillery that performs every step of the whisky-making process, from malting the barley to bottling the spirit. It looks like using traditional methods can result in significant batch-to-batch variability. Well, at least this one from late 2024, as per the bottle code, is really good. 87/100. An impressive malt, my 888th tasted overall. Would love to keep a bottle of it in the home bar at all times.

The variety of labels used by the distillery across various releases (including the ten year old) is impressive, and figuring them out is no easy task. I usually consider each new label a distinct malt for statistical purposes.

Springbank 15YO tasting notes

Springbank 15YO OB 70cl 46% ABV
Matured in 100% Sherry casks
Time code 14/11/24



Color: dark amber.
Nose: sweet cherries, glossy paper, figs, celery stalk, caramel, resin, clove, peat, smoke, lacquer, rubber, prunes, chocolate, mint, iodine, engine oil, tobacco, oranges, a touch of sulphur, damp oak, hay, almonds, pears, papaya, sardines in oil. Complex and funky. I would say it feels a bit oversherried, but it is still very impressive.
Taste: red currants, caramel, peat, orange zest, strawberries, liquorice, lemons, oiliness, a bit of pepper, black tea, cranberries, lychees, clove. Chewy and delicious.
Finish: pears, tea, pepper, salt, mint, green apples, cocoa, peat, chocolate, coffee liqueur. Quite lasting.
Score: 9. Between good and excellent. +2+2+2.

Conclusion: wonderful malt! Last time I tried it was back in 2010, and then my score was lower, as with the 10YO. Did they improve over the years, or am I just trying to justify these days' ridiculously high prices? I really like this 15YO! Speaking of price, £75 per bottle as listed on the distillery's site is not that high. However, this year the lowest I have seen in US retail was $160, with a few offerings at $250. The demand for Springbank is huge, and many people still use their bottles as investment opportunities. Stop doing this, buy and drink now! I do have some minor complaints about the aroma of this malt, and I prefer the recent 10YO in this aspect. Overall, the 15YO feels somewhat on the heavier side, but its taste and aftertaste are awesome. You don't even need extra ABV. 89/100.