Malt Mission 2008 #268

Springbank 1992 15yo
The Whisky Society
52.6% abv
£60

The Whisky Society is a range of premium whiskies from the people that brought you Single Malts of Scotland. As if that range doesn't reach a limited-enough amount of folks, these releases are smaller batch and determined to be for the very few. And although the folks at Speciality Drinks have chosen a name that conjures up ideas of membership and clubrooms, they say neither feature will surround these releases "that showcase the very best single malt whiskies from our stock of maturing casks."

Says the website, "We have created the Whisky Society to share our passion for superb single malts – the best things in life are even better shared - but only a select few will be lucky enough to appreciate these whiskies with us. A tiny handful of the hundreds of casks we taste each year will be selected for bottling and these releases will normally only be available through this website.

There are no membership fees, house rules, general meetings or secret handshakes at the Whisky Society – your bottle of our malt makes you part of a fraternity of discerning malt-lovers who enjoy savouring a special whisky.

The Whisky Society label is our guarantee that the malt inside these bottles represents the very highest quality. We believe these whiskies to be superlative expressions of their respective distilleries and that they will delight aficionados and connoisseurs of outstanding single malt whisky."

Selling on exclusivity, but obviously impinging on THE whisky society. I would argue that indeed 'the whisky society', if it means anything to anyone, means The Scotch Malt Whisky Society an excellent organisation of which I have been a member since 2003. Sure, for now Google still thinks The Whisky Society means SMWS, but for how long? I have seen 'The Whisky Society' climb up the results list over the past two months. No doubt, the kind folks at SMWS find this a bit out of order. And they are certainly justified.

For all whiskies from Springbank distillery had on the mission click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Earthy with a grassy sweetness. Horseradish, tundra, mud. With time the nose gets sweeter with some honey and chamomile, but still very earthy, organic and herbal.

Surprisingly soft impact of big flavour, raisins, breakfast cereal, swells with some spice but cools down nicely, ending with honey and lemon-tinged oak. Really lingers with sweetgrass and cornfields.

SUMMARY:

Well it grew on me. Perhaps my mood, if not my palate, had to adjust. Contains elements of whiskies I love like Clynelish and Balvenie, but is all the while classic Springbank with lambswool and lemon throughout.

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Malt Mission 2008 #267

Springbank 1993 13yo
The Single Malts of Scotland
Campbelltown Single Malt Whisky
58.7% abv
£50

It is Tuesday.
Slept like shit. Woke up late. One small screw up after another.
A million things on my mind.
But it could be worse.

It really is a delight to have the luxury of enjoying fine whisky. Please appreciate it.

Right now our lives are really mad. Generally, we tend to keep ourselves pretty busy with work and play but now we have the added planning pressures of relocation(we are leaving the UK), sorting visas and the rest of the logistical crap, selling this flat, securing an apartment in the new city/country, getting this f#&king PhD fit to submit, judging in the IWSC, having no fricking money, planning a wedding (yup, there will be a Mrs. Dr. Whisky), and other things that are none of your business...

I am not complaining. It could be worse.

And it will all be fine. When you have the luxury of spending 10-20 minutes with a fine whisky, time can slow down and the worries of the world can seem that much more manageable. No more bombs to or from Gaza, real democracy for the impoverished and oppressed nations of the world, clean water to drink, folded shirts and matching socks... It is all relative and it is all within reach.

You see those people, pale and pressing past old ladies on the tube. Going nowhere. Fast.

Nose. Sip. Breathe. Repeat.
It is Tuesday March 11, 2008. Life IS beautiful. Slow down and notice it. Measure by measure.

For all whiskies from Springbank distillery had on the mission click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

An energetic little fella with a wide array of aromas. Sweet with butterscotch and pineapple, sour like boiled cabbage, spicy like cloves and tea, dusty, salty, and a little bit smoky. Lime comes out with water along with a seaside earthy-turfiness. Bit of dog hair or a pair of jeans you have been wearing too long since the last wash.

Clinical with lemon-fresh bleach, but sweet like honey and wine gums, peppery spiciness and more smoke than the nose let on. Great long leathery finish with a persistent honey-toffee sweetness.

SUMMARY:

A pretty high price tag but it is a quality spicy-sweet single-cask Springbank. Sweet, but angry. Perfect.

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Malt Mission 2008 #266

Hazelburn 8yo
Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£30*

This is the first release of the triple-distilled and wholly unpeated expression from Springbank distillery that goes by the name 'Hazelburn', in loving memory of one of the 34 lost Campbeltown distilleries. Closed in 1925, Misako Udo's incredibly detailed book informs us that from 1885-6 the old Hazelburn distillery did indeed use triple distillation.

Springbank Distillery has been producing Hazelburn (unpeated) since 1997 along with Longrow (peated to 55ppm) since 1973. This release came with three different labels, paintings of different distillery activities, all commissioned works by Ian Gray. Was followed by a larger production in 2006 in a different bottle.

For all whiskies from Springbank distillery had on the mission click HERE.

* - this was it's original retail price. If you find a bottle today, expect to pay quite a bit more as it is collectible.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet and estery nose. Caramel and malt. A fruit and cheese board, oaky, sweet and salty. Apples, pears, red grapes, Emmenthal, and brie.

Nice big mouthfeel with a sweet impact, flavours of ice cream and banana at the start, envelope glue and a slice of malted loaf with honey. Great fluid movement of flavours, well-bound and nothing steering in its own direction. More cereal and a grassy freshness to finish.

SUMMARY:

Awakening with flavour and silky in the mouth. A very impressive youngster.

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Malt Mission 2007 #140

Springbank 1997
Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky
55.2% abv
£36.50

28 weeks of (liver) drammage and the malt mission is still going strong. Thanks for reading, even when things get a bit dry. Tired. Stressed. Busy. Lazy.

So here is Springbank's newest offering, a bottling from 1997 in a slick black box. YES! A black box that will actually record the flight path from bottling plant in Campbeltown to your local whisky shop past your gums and out your wazoo. Back to form, indeed.

Selected by Frank McHardy and Stuart Robertson from re-charred sherry butts, the packaging is not the only thing that makes this stuff stand out in the Springbank family of whiskies. This vintage is a batch release of 11,000 bottles.

I have read/heard "value buy" applied to this malt since its release recently, but many look at this price and scream (or post quietly in civil whisky forums) "cult prices!" Well... yeah. This is Springbank. Not some whisky factory that runs 6 days a week 51 weeks a year. The still operate 4-6 months tops and there IS a cult following despite the grumbling of whisky nerds in recent years. But £37? Worrying for the future of quality budget malts but people will gobble this stuff up. Don't believe me or just cRaZy for Springbank? Have a browse at some of the older releases that have become the stuff of whisky legend/wet dreams of many a whisky nerd HERE and HERE.

Thanks to The Whisky Exchange for the drop. Don't miss Whisky Fringe in Edinburgh this weekend. Eat more vegetables. Tell your sweetheart you love him/her. Stop reading this.

For more info, all Springbank posts can be found HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Heavy, weighty, meaty. Tapioca pearls, Irn Bru, cream soda. Sheep. Butter.

Heavy, weighty, thick. But lively. Honey and peanut butter. Gauze. Tea. Rye. Healing creams. Late development of spice, smoke, and some green characteristics through the shortish finish. Beansprouts and water spinach.

SUMMARY:

Time in the glass benefits this one as the initially dominant burnt caramel character gives way to a complex array of aromas and flavours. Water exposes quite a bit both on the nose and palate. Still, not very Springbank-y, but wholly enjoyable.

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Malt Mission 2007 #139

Springbank 15 yo
Cambeltown Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£42

It is my birthday. I apologise to some of you keeners for the late posts over the past few days, been busy in the run-up to today's birthday lie-in. Ah. And it gets better: Kristin is making me blueberry pancakes.
Right, down to business...

Some believe that the art and science of whisky making arrived on the shores of Scotland first touching down on the Kintyre peninsula via Antrim in Northern Ireland. The area provided ample amounts of peat, had a coal mine within easy reach, and perfect sea access to the ports of Glasgow and the wide world of whisky.

Located in Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula, Springbank is still a 'traditional' distillery, growing and malting a good deal of its own barley, using local peat, maturing every drop of their product on site, and bottling most of it there, too.

Springbank uses one wash still and two spirit stills. The wash still is unique in being direct fired (gas) as well as using steam coils. They are the only distillery producing three different whiskies (Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn) and have inspired other distilleries to try similar projects (Bruichladdich, Tomintoul/Ballantruan, Edradour, etc.)

This 15yo followed the short and limited release of a 21yo (2005). For more info, all Springbank posts can be found HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Chordal in the nose. Harmonious. Split impressions between coastal aromas up high, a sweet maltiness in the middle, and warming sherry down low. Orange, salt and sugar. Yeasty, with coconut and strawberry jam.

Creamy with a great bourbon and sherry balance. Spicy, oaky, and the Springbank maritime presence is felt. Long oaky finish.

SUMMARY:

A beautifully struck chord, sustained for minutes. Won't be ideal for everyone's tastes but certainly has a little something for everyone. Hillwalker? Enjoy this at the top of some Ben or deep in some Glen. Fisherman? Have some this perched on a sea struck rock. Smoke? Grab a cigar or pipe and suck it back with a dram of this stuff in your hands. Whatever, just enjoy it. Very nice whisky outdoors, indoors, above or below sea level, or as a cigar malt.

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Malt Mission 2007 #138

Longrow 10yo, 100 Proof
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
57% abv
£39.50

Spingbank Distillery produces three different styles of malt whisky on the same site, each having different phenolic contents (peat levels) measured in parts per million (ppm) and each using slightly different distillation methods: Springbank is a 12-15ppm expression, distilled two and a half times, Hazelburn is a completely unpeated malt distilled three times, and this style, Longrow, is distilled twice and around 50-55 ppm using malt peat kilned for 36-48 hours. Older expressions are peatier because the kilning used to be 55 hours.

The original Longrow distillery was built in Campbeltown in 1824 and was closed in 1896. The distillery was demolished and the site is now occupied by Springbank's car park and one of the remaining warehouses is still used for storing whisky.

The first distillation of Longrow at Springbank was in 1973. This 100 proof version was released in 2006.

TASTING NOTES:

Lemongrass, salt and prawns; a very Thai impression. Peppery cocktail salts, lime and oat cakes.

Vanilla that gets gobbled up by the salty/peppery character with smoke and a pleasant chewiness. Coal. Lingering oak and smoke. Lip-smacking.

SUMMARY:

Thick, proud, and showing no intentions to behave in public. Really quite exhilarating with that citrus, salt and pepper zing often found in tequila. But don't get me wrong, this is clearly a malt-based spirit. Delicious and refreshing. The margarita of malt whiskies.

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Springbank 10 yo, 100 proof
Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky
57% abv
£35

Springbank is the one of the 'last men standing' from the heyday of Campbeltown distilling. "The Whisky City" was employing 250 people in the whisky industry and pumping out nearly 2million gallons of whisky per year when Alfred Barnard visited in 1887.

Founded in 1828 and taken over by the Mitchell family in 1837, Springbank is still a family-run distillery making it the oldest continuously family-run distillery in Scotland. The region became known for 'stinking fish' whisky and most of the distilleries went out of business by the 1930s. Glen Scotia and Springbank survived... barely. Springbank has the reputation of producing one of the world's best single malts, no matter what grumblings were being passed about over the past 5 years. It isn't a whisky that suits everyone's tastes, but those who like it like it a lot. And when it's 'on', it can be heavenly.

Springbank is still run in a very unique way (more on this later in the week). Michael Jackson writes, "without a hierarchy of marketing policy makers, the three or four people who run the business on a daily basis taste regularly and bottle what they think is good and ready." Sounds like a good system to me.

This Springbank 100 proof(British proof) version was launched in 2004. It won Loch Fyne Whiskies' Bottling of the Year 2004. Good morning, Sunshine!

TASTING NOTES:

Light and fresh. Sweet lemony maltiness, slightly sour. Salt and a sunflower seed sort of nuttiness. Musty oak and rich toffee. Complex.

Gentle impact with a big follow-up of salt and spice, cloves and fresh raw fish. A vanilla and toffee character too that rides into an ever lasting cod liver oil-meets-musty oakiness.

SUMMARY:

Great maturity for the age that hides the potential pain of the abv. Fresh and appetising. Rides a bit close to the sea for my tastes, but I am a wimp. If I take a cod liver oil pill I taste it all day. Satisfying and complex, but a definite mood whisky.

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Malt Mission 2007 #136

Campbeltown Loch 15 yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40%
£25

The story of the disappearance of some 32 distilleries in Campbeltown is both sad and instructive. At the beginning of the last century, Campbeltown was the whisky capital of Scotland. By 1925 only two distilleries remained. Exactly why is complicated and open to debate, but it has much to do changes in methods of transport, the Great war, the depression, prohibition in the U.S., but also with the worsening reputation of Campbeltown malts in the eyes of blenders (poorer distilleries were filling to exhausted casks and speeding up distillations during the boom of the 1890s and the tough economic times during the war and the 1920s). With the opening of Glengyle in 2004, there are currently three working distilleries in Cambeltown. This week we will try a few drops from the distilleries of the Mull of Kintyre. For more Campbeltown info see David Stirk's book The Distilleries of Campbeltown.

William Cadenheads is the Scotland's oldest independent bottler on the market and started business in 1842 in Aberdeen. Originally famed for their excellent Demerara rums, Cadenheads is legendary for bottling excellent single cask, cask-strength, non-chill-filtered whiskies. Cadenheads was taken under the umbrella of J&A Mitchell and Springbank Dilstillers Ltd. in 1969 and operates out of three very adorable shops in the UK: Campbeltown in Scotland, Covent Garden in London and on the Canongate (the bit of the Royal Mile nearer the palace than the castle) in Edinburgh. They also have shops in Cologne and Amsterdam.

Named after the lake that is dreamed to be full of whisky in the song of the same name, Campbeltown Loch has been a J.A. Mitchell family blend for decades. The critically acclaimed Campbeltown Loch 25yo was replaced in recent years by the 21yo and this 15yo is the new member of the family and was released at the same time as the new 1997 vintage Springbank.

Enjoyed with Colin Harvey whose notes appear in quotes. Rest assured it has been enjoyed a few times since; the lovely guy left the bottle here...but not until after he had made the rounds on our shelf. Cheers, Colin.

TASTING NOTES:

Health club, hazelnuts, chlorine and perfumed shower soap. "Nut oil, lanolin, woolly." Cheroots. "Huh?" Little earthy, bark-y cigars. Shortbread. Spicy and herbal. Prawns. Wisp of smoke, even slightly sulphuric. Time in the glass lets this stuff open up its ever-developing nose.

Outdoors sweetness, earthy, slightly metallic fishing tackle and worms. Toasty bourbon cask rolls around in the mouth. "Toast proper, as in out of the toaster... having scraped off the black bits". "Maritime creaminess... That sounds stragely filthy" Crab meat. Short.

SUMMARY:

The black label is a brilliant choice. Looks very cool. Largely consistent between nose and palate, but seems to fall just short of impressive. Hey, this is totally tasty, rich whisky, with a great malt character that absolutely schools the grain, but I guess it is the memory of the 21 (or 25... mmm) that haunts every impression. Tough competition. Thoroughly enjoyable and good value.

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