Whisky Review: Hazelburn 12 Years Old

• Category: Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Springbank distillery
• Bottling: J & A Mitchell & Co.
• ABV: 46%
• Cost: £45

What they say

The newest addition to the range of whiskies produced at Springbank, Hazelburn gains it’s light, delicate character through being distilled three times in the distillery’s old copper stills.

Hazelburn is made with unpeated barley, making the spirit light, fruity and very, very subtle.

1997 saw the first distillation of Hazelburn and the first release of the whisky as an eight year old in 2005 was so successful that all 6,000 bottles sold out within a matter of weeks.

Like Longrow, Hazelburn is named after one of the old Campbeltown distilleries. Most of the distillery buildings are still standing, though the distillery is long defunct.

Hazelburn is available as an 8 year old, with a 12 year old due to be released in 2009.

What I say

Purchased as a Cask End from Cadenhead’s whisky shop on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh. I was hunting for something sherry finished and affordable and spotted this little gem. The original release in 2009 was just 3,900 bottles with a further release in 2010 – more likely to be the batch this came from.

My tasting notes:

• Colour: Ruby amber
• Nose: Honeyed peaches, oranges, malty, tannic leather, a little salted caramel, floral perfume, cigar boxes and tobacco, linseed oil and oiled rope
• Taste: Thick, oily and syrupy, toffee sweet, thick cereal barley malt, oak wood, cocoa and latte coffee, pecan and walnut, oranges and mulling spices, cinnamon and waxy fruits
• Finish: Long, spicy and drying, more dried and waxy fruits

Overall

Yum, I enjoyed this one a lot. Plenty of sherry wood character in here but matched with the malt and oaky wood character also. This Hazelburn still has that Springbank meaty, malty and a little machine oil character but is more sprightly and carries the tannic, dried fruit and nut sherry-influence with pride.

Score 87/100

Shop for Hazelburn 12 year old (opens Master of Malt)

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