GENERAL
- Close to the Irish Sea and next to the Springbank distillery in Campbeltown
- Non-chill filtered, cask strength, natural color
- ABV 51.3%
- 15-16 years age (limited bottling - good luck finding it!)
- Peated version matured in refilled American oak Bourbon hogsheads casks (preserves the phenolic nature of the single malt)
- Demerara Rum (from Guyana) cask finished (for precisely 8 months) - Ralfy suspects afterward the whisky was put back into the hogsheads casks to allow it to settle (to “blend-settle”)
- Released for the Malt Festival 2019
- This is a modern malt — it’s about blending with a diversity of casks
EYE
- Beautiful natural color
NOSE
- Dark cherry (Maraschino)
- Burned cane sugar
- Banana flambe
- Cinnamon spiciness
- A beautiful “phenolisism” (Ralfy!)
- Very dense and rich
- An array of spices and nuts
TASTE
- Strong peat
- Pepper
- A bomb of flavors
- Lucious sour note, rich voluptuous
- Salty and briny
- Whistles and bells….just enjoy!
FINISH
- Just everlasting and beautiful
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
- On the heavy side to be sure, but the flavors are wonderfully integrated.
OVERALL
This is among the all-time favorites. Again, good luck finding it. If you can, buy 2 or 3 bottles. It is a collector’s item. Relish it.