Springbank Single Malt Scotch Single Cask Sherry 19 Yr Review

epitome via Whisky Kirk/The Whiskey Wash

The Springbank 19-Year-Old under review was distilled in May of 1996 and bottled in July of 2015. It was anile in a unmarried refill bourbon cask. This means that the cask had previously been used at least once to age single malt Scotch whisky, after it had already been used in the Us to age bourbon.

American white oak is the forest of choice to historic period bourbon, and this helps to give Scotch whisky that is subsequently anile in the same reused forest a more mellow, soft, and caramel-oriented flavor than what results from European oak casks, which are more bitter. Since the cask used to historic period this Springbank 19-Year-Old  was refill, and so the influence should exist somewhat more than muted, thus allowing the distillery grapheme to occupy the stage, front end and center.

The Fib Heard Circular the World

Recently, a few well-known Highland distilleries (which shall remain nameless) were accused of labeling modest batches, which came from multiple casks, as "single cask" releases.

Due to the fact that there are no specific regulations regarding the term "single barrel" or "unmarried cask," these distilleries were non held responsible for fibbing about what they were selling. This problem is compounded by the fact that single barrel and unmarried cask whiskies are becoming extremely expensive these days.

The fact that these two big Highland distilleries were "outed" as fibbing near their whiskies has acquired me to wonder if the exercise of calling a release a single barrel or a single cask, when it is not, might exist more widespread beyond the industry than well-nigh consumers realize. I can speak for myself in declaring that I would be extremely pissed off if this were the case.

Why? Information technology boils down to elementary arithmetic: "single casks" generally cost quite a bit more "small batches." That'south why I feel extra confident about Springbank'south labeling practices. The distillery has a long and illustrious tradition of marketing and selling whisky by the cask, both to retailers, and also to private party buyers.

A lot is riding on Springbank's reputation for making a quality product because the distillery spends practically nothing on marketing and advertizing. And so, I would be very surprised, indeed, if any unmarried cask releases from J&A Mitchell & Co. were mislabeled small batches in disguise.

Tasting Notes: Springbank 19-Year-Erstwhile Refill Bourbon Casks

Vital Stats: 58.six%, Distilled May 1996, 300 Bottles

Advent: Yellow Gold. After turning the glass forty-v degrees all effectually, the rim of whisky reveals tears and legs that are very minor, and which descend slowly. Nicer legs than Taylor Swift'south, and that's saying something!

Olfactory organ: Wow, I'm detecting wet ocean sand. That's a starting time for me in regard to a Springer. Now, this said, I've encountered sandy noses on quite a few unmarried cask releases from Isle of Jura. In that location are also notes of dear-poached quince pie, baked rhubarb, and baked pears. Fantastic! The bourbon influence is more noticeable than usual for a refill cask; however, I would add that the wood presence here is extremely muted. In fact, there is very little, if whatsoever, oak on the nose. No "cinnamon" to speak of, as I've tasted in other older-to-middle aged single cask Springers, from time to time.

A fairly pronounced distillery character, which is nowadays in this slightly younger 19-Year-Old, evokes an overall impression of cooked pears, though not in a tin can with syrup. I really like this muted even so fruity odour a smashing bargain, which sometimes attends bourbon casks from America, for some reason. Lastly, industrial overtones bring to mind the smell of the erstwhile root cellar in which I played equally a boy. I'm talking here about wet burlap sacks filled with old potatoes, candle wax dripping down the walls from pioneer-era sconces, and sod walls with tree roots poking through the sides, non to mention a sod floor. Yep, that'south obviously the dunnage warehouse talking, where this single cask of whisky was aged.

Palate: Right off the bat, I'm getting the a nice version of the standard vanilla and caramel that often come with American ex-bourbon oak casks. The bourbon signature is actually quite faint, but it's hither, all the same.

As an experiment for this review, I poured 2 spectacles of the aforementioned whisky under consideration. I has been sitting on my desk for about 45 minutes, and the other has been sitting for about ten.

Permit's compare the two: Surprisingly, the older glass has a sweeter nose and a more sour palate. I call back it's been sitting a fleck besides long uncovered, perhaps. That sandy annotation from the nose is coming through in this one. There's also wet limestone, brown sugar, sweet potato, and even a niggling Hawaiian poi, which is a good affair. I'yard the only person in my family who actually likes poi, and I eat it every time I visit a luau on the Large Island of Hawaii.

Switching back to my younger glass, the distillery grapheme is more pronounced. Permit me add a few drops of water. At a lower ABV, a piffling citrus comes through. Lime, to be exact. I'm detecting a milky porridge notation from a fairly prominent malted barley composition. As usual, a few drops of h2o bring out more of a silky oral fissure feel, which I discover appealing.

Final Thoughts and Score:

While the sum total of this dram is not as stunningly complex equally Springbank'due south twenty-Year-Old Fresh Rum Cask, information technology has a nice, almost ubiquitous, cocky-balls to information technology, that actually hits the spot. Just when you think it couldn't mayhap get on longer…there'south something left hibernating on your natural language.

As for the finish of this whisky, I would venture to call information technology "quintessentially Springbank." Funnily enough, it's quintessentially modern Springbank, as opposed to "old school," like the Rum Cask.

If you haven't nevertheless tried a single cask Springbank in full general–or this Springbank 19-Year-Old Refill Bourbon Cask in particular–there'due south no fourth dimension like the present. Prices are climbing college and higher, even as I type these words. Don't be too quick to blame the distillery, however, for soaring prices. I've institute that middle men (distributors between the distilleries and retailers) are usually the culprits when information technology comes to soaring prices on boutique whiskies like this astonishing 19-Year-Old Refill Bourbon Cask, which was bottled at a whopping 58.half dozen percent booze by book.

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Source: https://thewhiskeywash.com/reviews/mw-edited-whisky-review-springbank-19-year-old-refill-bourbon-cask-2/