2022 Release| 46% ABV

How much would you pay?

Perhaps the more pertinent question would be, ‘what would you do to own a bottle of the aforementioned Springbank?’ We’ve all seen the recent scenes and antics. We’ve all heard the stories with queuers working in squatting gangs and the bots bagging their intended targets. Ridiculous hours standing around waiting on a bottle, with some travelling thousands of miles, only to leave empty-handed.

These are the times we’re living in and the torrent seems to be growing in strength. The majority of those engaged in such activities are not interested in the contents. Not appreciative of the efforts of those men and women to make this mere liquid we adore as whisky. Financial gain, whether within weeks or years down the line, is what’s driving the large percentage of those that you see in the photographs. 

Their behaviours are hard to defend, but I can appreciate that some may actually need the extra cash and see it as a wee bonus to pay some necessary bills. After all, who doesn’t like easy money? Tax free as well until the HMRC start auditing auctioneers records, seeking those who are moonlighting as a second occupation. We’re in for some tough economic times. If you live local to a specific distillery or within a certain region, the temptation to acquire and ship on must be sizeable. Word does get around among locals and I’ve seen them descend on distillery shops like a biblical plague of locusts, devouring their intended target and leaving scraps for those that aren’t as informed or local.

It is what it is and this topic was debated in our debut podcast edition at length. So, I’m loathed to go into it again in too much detail, however it is more the professional flippers and investors that arguably have a greater impact on the market and the mechanisms of supply and demand. There’s a pyramid scheme at play here – and eventually – it will come crashing down. There are too many factions with a vested interest in seeing things immediately labelled as ‘collectable’ and ‘investment grade’. The influx of related advertising on my Instagram account has saturated my screen. Dizzying promises of x-amount in return, and guides that want to believe you’re receiving some invaluable insight. In reality, you’re being sold a dud for an inflated price. Meanwhile in Ireland, they have released a 30 year old whiskey with a Faberge 18k gold egg for a seven figure price. Just how did we get to this point?

What is most disappointing is that mere drinkers and enthusiasts will struggle to taste and experience the oldest official core Springbank expression; until the 30 year old makes its debut. Whisky is all about discovery, the journey and experiencing a dram while enjoying fine company. In other words, having fun. That’s the way it has been since the first spirit ran off a still somewhere in Scotland. 

The pandemic may have brought a new generation into the realm of flipping and investing. Faces and groups that you’ve not seen before. Eager for the latest limited bottling with very little regard as to what experience is held, trapped within the vessel. I’d rather flip to another point of view – those that have joined the whisky community since COVID-19 and found comfort, company and a new challenge. It puts more emphasis on veterans to show the same interest and generosity that the previous generation did when we started out.

The pandemic has shown us that life is too short. Gone in a moment. Much like the current situation in Ukraine, nothing is certain and we should enjoy the things we take for granted. The death of cricket legend Shane Warne at a relatively young age, underlined that tomorrow your world could be turned upside down. Changed forever and at that point – do boxes of unopened whiskies matter at all? Would your legacy be a testament to failing to enjoy life?

My own experiences of the Springbank 25 year old come down to being able to share with friends. Those that have broken the seal and passed a bottle around or those that have offered me a sample at cost price. I’ve never actually bought the 25, despite several opportunities over the years, as it used to sit around for a while. The price difference to the 21 year old for just four years never sat well with my bank account. The same dynamic that labelled the 18 year old more of a bargain, being pitched under £100, versus the gold allure of the 21. Let’s not even go to the brilliance of the 10 year old and its legendary status of cost versus the drinking experience. 

Looking forward for a moment; I hope Springbank increase their pricing for the 25 year old. It has left my realm in terms of my accessibility, so it doesn’t impact on my own purchases. However, I’m of the opinion why should the distillery, men and women of Campbeltown just receive the proceeds of the retail price, when they’ve been responsible for creating this bottling? Why should someone make more than the community, just because they’ve jumped on a financial opportunity? Up the price to limit the abuse and consider other options such as smaller bottles and samples to a wider audience. Cadenhead’s have responded by setting a price of £795 for their latest Littlemill. I welcome the move, despite the full knowledge that when they bottle their last cask of Glen Mhor, it’ll cost substantially more than what it might have done two years ago.

If you’ve made it this far, I’ll tell you to ignore the score above. It was an acknowledgement of the behaviours of online flippers who don’t care about the details; only the score that can be utilised to push prices up even further. Consider it some static noise to camouflage the truth. There’s nothing more stimulating than a 90+ score from our friends at WhiskyFun – I’ve been in shops when the phone rings on the back of a positively review, published earlier that day – or a healthy average on Whiskybase. While many are seeking a taste of nectar and the promised land; the growing demographic are looking only to boost their bank account or spreadsheet valuation. 

It was my suggestion to use our usual score first visualisation as an opportunity. Disgust the clickbait seekers and valuation checkers. Only the inquisitive and brave would continue into the text and understand the real score and why it was awarded. Our bounce rate so far is very impressive and a large percentage of readers move on to other articles that we’ve published. Who knows? Maybe this 2022 edition really is a 2/10; we’ll find out in a moment.

My thanks to the Dunkeld Whisky Box who open their bottles for store visitors and make them available by the dram. We’ve interviewed the team previously and they are well worth visiting online or in person – with the latter always more fun. I purchased a 5cl sample for £34, to (hopefully) enjoy, and bring you this article.

Review

2022 edition, 60% ex-bourbon, 40% sherry, 1300 bottles, 46% ABV
£375 retail, now madness

Nose

A bewildering complexity initially, yet a sense of orchestra – everything working together. Dried fruits, gold leaf, papaya, brown sugar, a splash of rum that’s high on esters. It takes me back to rock candy on the beachfront. Oddly, pineapple cubes, perhaps a touch of the tropical? Honeycomb, sliced apples, ginger, orange oil, chocolate and there’s a real top note that rides over everything splendidly that’s maybe a bit medicinal and a touch warmed metal. Wet bark, sweet cinnamon, yellow raisins and fudge.

Palate

Subtle, juicy and over-ripe fruits with a gentle peat pulling it all together and then it goes more tropical with some coconut and pineapple. I find it a little chewy on the palate with toffee, but also some bitter oak spice midway that detracts from the overall experience. Peppery, flashes of Fisherman’s Friend’s and peat on the finish with a hint of plastic. Tinned syrup, orange pips and star anise. Meh.

The Dregs

Talk about contrasts. The nose is elegant and joyful; it really is a lovely thing. The palate has a tough act to follow (a bit like Bodega next week with the Bug Club as their support band), you either rise above or fail to match the expectations driven by the opening salvo. Initially, I enjoyed the palate without being overwhelmed emotionally, like the great whiskies can achieve. The more I drank this whisky, the more I became aware of the oaky bitterness midway and how it became a real detraction from the experience. 

Being thorough and benefiting from having a 5cl sample, I returned to the whisky the following evening to investigate my initial thoughts. The outcome being, this is a very good whisky, but nothing more even with a delightful nose. Something tells me there is a bad cask in the mix here, or one that just doesn’t agree with me. Soon to be selling for ridiculous prices that don’t justify the contents. Yet again, the lesser age statements from Springbank deliver more value and satisfaction.

How about a second opinion?

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. DM

Wally’s Notes

Even before the madness of today, this would have been a real treat to savour. Unfortunately, this review is from a small sample courtesy of the actions taken by the folks at Dunkeld Whisky Box to share their bottle and thus The Alchemist who shared that with me. A tiny sample that’s £34 worth at cost, but now many times more based on the outlandish and idiotic secondary prices. I poured this into a blender’s glass and left it lightly covered for 30 minutes.

Nose

Aromatic and earthy. Over-ripe white fruits, melon and apricots with clay and dunnage. Warm earth, linseed oil and beeswax. Dark honey, melted chocolate, sweet maraschino cherry and worn, dry wood. If I had more I’d spend another hour here and no doubt find more, but I need to sip.

Palate

Always interesting. A soft arrival brings along a slightly acidic tang, a bitter note which then turns to cool, sweet crème caramel. Chewing brings overnight oats, honey and moist cheesecake biscuit base. The fruits are still around but they’re not fresh, they’re orange cordial, tinned mandarin, lychees and ripe white grapes. Galia melon and fresh fig. White chocolate coats the palate and leaves the sense of a sweet, spiced rum. Everything is delicate, but there’s an overarching sense of something slightly bitter and mineralic, like soluble aspirin, liver salts or soda water which, on the finish, mixes with that fruit cordial note to leave blood orange flavoured San Pellegrino. A little salt, black pepper and dunnage to distract you at the end too. Lovely. The empty glass brings boiled sweets and the softest whiff of damp peat smoke. 

The Dregs

I didn’t put water in this, I couldn’t bring myself to, there just wasn’t enough. Which is really the crux of this whole thing. This is a vicarious experience for 99% of you, I know. With this tiny little pour, it almost was for me too. Still, I’m very happy to have tried it. I can’t shake the feeling that it should be a 7/10, but because I knew what it was I gave it the reverence it deserves and I think everything stepped up to meet me. There’s a lot to be said for ceremony. 

Still, in the end, this is never going to live up to the prices it’s being exchanged for today (at time of writing a WhatsApp group share informs me a bottle closed at the Whisky Shop auctions for £2,600. Someone needs a talking to). It seems the issue of money and its value is far more subjective than these notes. Ah well, back to my last bottle of Springbank 10yo! 

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. WMc

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