Springbank 12 Years Old Cask Strength Batch 11 (53.8%, OB, Batch 11, 2015)

• Category: Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Springbank Distillery
• Bottling: J & A Mitchell & Company; Batch 11 released august 2015
• ABV: 53.8%
• Cost: £59.62

What they say

Our 12-year-old edition, always bottled at cask strength, is a wonderfully balanced dram that boasts a smooth buttery body and rich fruity palate. Add a drop of water to release milk chocolate and vanilla notes.

The 11th Batch of this ever increasingly popular bottling. The 12 Year Old Cask Strength. This time bottled at 53.8% vol.

Official tasting notes:

• Nose: There is a saltiness similar to Campbeltown Loch fishing creels, a typical Springbank maritime style. Spicy notes are dominant, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks and some ground black pepper.
• Palate: Lip licking – thickly buttered gingerbread, sticky toffee pudding and creme brulee. Cream and butter really coat the mouth in classic Campbeltown style.
• Finish: Dry finish ending with barbecue smoke and chicory sauce.

What I say

Batch 11 of the ever-popular Springbank 12 Year Old Cask strength, something we haven’t sampled since Batch 6 (I think?).

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Amber gold (9/20), oily long medium-sized tears leave medium-thick legs
• Nose: Spicy and malty salted caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, toasted malt loaf and wholewheat bread, fruit cake, raisin, double chocolate muffin, smoked sea salt
• Taste: Gingerbread and ginger nut biscuits, flapjack, cereal malt sweetened with golden syrup and honey, dried fruits, raisin and prune, sharply spiced; powdered cinnamon and nutmeg, malt loaf, chocolate fudge cake, butter and black pepper, hints of well-caramelised vanilla crème brulee
• Finish: Medium, dried fruits, malt and ginger

Overall

Easy drinker, the ABV doesn’t really reveal itself though there is a dry powdery spice to this batch which probably masks any spirit heat. After the initial challenge to the palate the fruity, malty and slightly cocoa nature unravels to great effect. Another great batch from Springbank.

Score 85/100

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Whisky Saga’s review of Springbank 12 CS Batch 11