Review #98 - Springbank 10 Year Local Barley
'Local Barley' Series: Part 4 of 5
Yep, had to stick a Springbank in this series - today, we have the Local Barley bottling released in 2022, the 10 year old with 100% ex-bourbon maturation. It was made using Belgravia barley grown on Glencraigs farm, and we have a 2011 vintage for the spirit.
Springbank has been doing these Local Barley releases (sporadically) for a long time, but the fervor around them has gained a lot of steam in the last five years. As far as we could surmise, the first Local Barley release was actually bottled back in 1988, a 20 year old whisky with a 1967 vintage, though it was soon followed up by several 24 year old bottlings with a 1966 vintage, released through 1990.
Springbank 10 Year Local Barley
Scotland/Campbeltown - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 165 (2022)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 185 (2023)
Age Statement: 10 Years
Strength: 51.6% ABV
Cask Makeup: 100% Ex-bourbon casks
Details: No color added, not chill filtered; Belgravia barley grown on Glencraigs Farm (Kintyre Peninsula), distilled May 2011, bottled December 2021; 15,000 bottle outturn
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 4 months; bottles at 100%, 90% (blind tasting), 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Lots of flavors going on here, it's very rich - we'll break it into three rough categories. First, fruits, and tons of them: fizzy and tangy orange, like orange soda, but also a creamy side with lime sherbet and lemon curd. Lemon candies and lemongrass as well - that starts to bridge us into the second category of farmy, funk notes. It's spirity and sparkly, grassy and minty, with some 'dunnage' scents and warm hay layered in. There's a baking spice element to this nose, as well: Mild vanilla and butter, some cola and anise, too. With that cola comes some sassafras and polished oak, a bit of old wood... the peat smoke is soft, with a bit of a cigar humidor vibe, some old leather, too.
Palate: Just a hint of umami to start the palate - mushrooms, maybe sauteed. Then it's straight into creamy fruits - greenish yogurt, lemon-lime soda and orange, lots of sharp citrus and pineapple. There's stone fruit and mango as well, some strawberry jam and candies; a bright white wine note on the back end finishes the fruits. Overall, the experience is decently spirity, with lots of old school funk, dirty straw, and some light lactic notes; the mouthfeel is medium-thick, and it's a deep and rich whisky. The dry spirity notes bridge into white pepper and nutmeg, along with more baking elements of cinnamon and vanilla, a hint of licorice if you look for it. Oak influence is mild and dry, with sassafras again and a bit of bitterness at times; the peat smoke is soft on the back end of the palate, adding its influence but not overwhelming - Springbank does that so well.
Finish: More dry and semi-sharp flavors on the finish, with lemon juice and white pepper, some dry vanilla and anise. There's a great tropical melon taste, and the peat tickle takes on a sweeter character. We found cola and old wet wood, some pink peppercorn and lots of green moss. The funky farm notes of damp hay and oil are still lingering, with some dry grass and tobacco leaves as well. It's a medium-long finish, and we end with polished leather shoes.
Final Note: Lovely, but rare and expensive... what else is there to say about Springbank? Actually, we really enjoyed this one a lot - ex-bourbon cask maturation is our favorite for Springbank, as it really allows the subtleties of the spirit to come through. The farmy notes are there, with lots of bright citrus and tropical fruit complementing the oaky, spicy notes. Highly recommend this if you can find it the suggested retail price, but that's getting pretty tough these days.
Our Average Rating: 8.4 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.08
