Today i’ll try two relatively cheap and easily accessible CS Springbank’s. In my memories, those 12yo CS are always good, never tried this one tough, so let’s go!
Springbank 12yo 2017 « Batch 15 » (56.5%, OB, 70% Sherry/30% Bourbon Casks)
Colour: Gold with darker hues.
Nose: Freshly cut white and yellow fruits, farmy notes, delicate earthy peat, elegant smoke and hints of spices.
Mouth: The alcohol integration is good and the texture is quite oily. Mix of aerial and earthy peat, its delicately bouncing between both worlds. A lot of fresh yellow fruits, white fruits, peaches, white pepper, chalk, sea salt and wood smoke notes slowly growing.
Finish: Long. Demerara sugar, herbal notes, wood smoke, white pepper, wet straw and delicate farmy peat.
A delicious dram. The profile is quite complex and perfectly mastered. It’s always a safe pick in my opinion, at least I never been disappointed!
Score: 90
Springbank 15yo 2003-2019 (51.0%, OB, Rum Barrels, 9000 bottles)
Colour: Light gold with straw hues.
Nose: Solvents, hints of peat, citruses, lemons, oranges, farmy notes, wet straw, honey and spices.
Mouth: Mineral and austere notes, chalks, fresh peach, Demerara sugar, anise stars and some hints of other yellow fruits but it’s less obvious.
Finish: Medium. White pepper, wet straw, coffee beans and earthy notes. Quite dry and austere to be honest.
This one is quite good but way less complex than the last one. It’s like something is missing, and well the Sprinkbank typical profile is a bit off on this dram but it’s still present.
Score: 88
For me the clear winner is the 12CS since it is just a perfect relatively cheap CS daily dram, it’s powerful et even a bit complex while the 15 rum wood is not bad but it’s way less complex than the other one. Anyway, two good pick that you can find easily throughout the year!
Tasting Bro's 