Springbank 2009 Local Barley 9 yo

 

 

 

57,7°

Distillery ; Springbank - Campbeltown

80% Bourbon and 20% Sherry Casks 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 12 ppm 

The first Springbank Local Barley whiskies likely appeared in the 1980s. At the time, these were very old whiskies, between 20 and 36 years old, sold in single casks in a few hundreds bottles per batch. To be reserved for a few connoisseurs. These exclusive bottlings more or less ceased in the 2000s. But it was in 2016 that the concept re-emerged. The Local Barley would no longer be Single Cask, and they would be younger, from 8 to 16 years old. A new edition would be released every year. It is believed that Bruichladdich created the concept of terroir for whisky with Islay Barley, but Springbank had done it before. However, it was Bruichladdich's success that prompted them to resurrect the range. The barley used for these bottlings is grown at Aros Farm, 3 km from the distillery. This Batch, the 4th in the Local Barley series, was produced in 9700 copies.

Let's Taste It : 

You plunge straight into the hay, your head in a haystack, the ends stinging your face. A rather dirty hay, which has been lying around for a long time in a rarely aerated stable. Behind, a hint of vanilla, an earthy country peat. A rather strong iodine, as if facing a rough sea, with the sea spray whipping around. All of a sudden it becomes very sweet, with condensed milk, coconut icing and Greek yoghurt. The custard next to the cattle feeder. And it's a great success. Milk chocolate, and even white chocolate, chantilly. The sherry is there to give a little depth, you can hardly feel it. Straw. The nose is on the side of a ruminating cow.
On the palate, candied vanilla, then spices, but these are as if macerated in the vanilla, the whole thing is quite syrupy, a delight. Black pepper, nutmeg, sage.
Very strong finish fragmentation grenade, it lasts a long time, with touches of vanilla, mirabelle, lime. Mint leaf.

 

In Short, 

Quite honestly, this is my favourite Springbank whisky so far. It's a very original whisky, in which the distillery's hallmarks come through completely, without breaking the harmony of the flavours. It's a real success. On the other hand, the public has not been deceived, and each new batch is quickly sold out and then resold at a prohibitive price.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Townes Van Zandt - Pancho & Lefty