Springbank Sherry Wood Series | 55% ABV

Score: 7/10

**Very Good Indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*A tasty treat but don’t burn your soul (or wallet)*

The Spirit of Campbeltown Across the Body of Japan

The robotic tweet of a pedestrian crossing, the hum of a cicada, the mighty ring of a Shinkansen, and the bittersweet slurp of the last chord of soba; welcome to the land of harmony, hospitality and haute whisky.

It can only be Japan, a tourist paradise and commercial vista for those of us Down Under. This obsession with Japan was seeded in me as far back as I have memories. India was an early adopter to the joys of anime, so Flame of Recca, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Dragon Ball was well within my preschool lexicon before Looney Tunes or Space Jam. The love only grew with getting my hands on a Nintendo, flipping pages the opposite way for manga, and tasting that first sip of salty umami miso ramen. Stepping into adulthood and a world of disposable income over the last two decades has pleasantly paralled the trend of Japanese culture penetrating the world of gastronomy, art, and design. Sleek yet rustic wood finishes, harmonious flower arrangements and delicate exotic flavours as the trend of upmarket expression, all done with a Japanese flair.

There is a tendency in Japanese expression to take an artform or method and innovate it to its natural peak. Whether it’s evolving public transport, conquering animation, or mastering coffee (sorry Melbourne but Tokyo is catching you), Japan brings a high level of quality to so many forms of expression and hospitality.

The attention to detail in hospitality and comfort is also second to none, I always get post-traumatic whiplash coming back from Japan because my toilet no longer warms my buttocks nor provides me with the option of oscillating or pulsating water streams. This finesse for detail and commitment to hospitality is seen thousandfold in the whisky service across the country. Whilst Japan has its own distinguished history and burgeoning scene in Scottish style whisky, it’s a category I haven’t recently revisited. The Single Malt Scotch is what’s caught my eye, and it has more attention and obsession with the Japanese themselves than their own whisky.

From the cold rural tips of Hokkaido to the summer paradise of Kyushu there is rarely a city where a fine whisky bar cannot be found. An homage to the jazz bar of the early and mid 20th century, the vibes are relaxed, the style is classic and the air is sometimes smoky (much to this prude’s dismay).

The owner-collections of even the smallest hole in the wall whisky paradise can exceed 1000. These anoraks mean serious business and they are obsessed with the good stuff. There is a definite proclivity for Springbank, despite its increasing scarcity, to be found in the land of the rising sun. It would not be the first whisky one may associate with the country, with its passé design and inefficient production methods, but looking into the quality of product and flavours within, an apparent connection starts to become tangible…The umami rich notes of miso, dashi, and soy, as well as the waves of coastal connection in fish and seaspray. An uncanny depth and variety of flavour no other whisky style can exactly emulate, taken to a new level with collections of vintage bottlings from decades gone by or single casks only the most exclusive could dream to procure. All of this without asking for a kidney and a liver for a dram.

A 15ml shot of vintage 90’s bottled Springbank could set you back perhaps around 22 AUD, something which would pass the 100 mark at home in Melbourne. Whilst the pricing makes no sense to a simple whisky weeb such as myself it is worth commending these businesses for providing this product at an attainable sensible price. But just as in any case of a shiny obtainable treasure, there is greed which will spawn in its presence.

During my last trip to Tokyo I was lucky enough to make a handful of visits to enjoy the exceptional whisky scene, though travelling with young children, Mrs.Dune was kind enough to let me be a whisky ronin (as long as I put the baby Dunes to bed first). So off I went on the metro, with a bowl of ramen to line my belly, and cash lined to procure drams (a reminder to carry cash as many bars don’t take card). On my last jaunt in the city I was lucky enough to enjoy the delights of a truly fantastic Springbank Single Cask, nestled among a girth of bottles which took up so much space that sitting at the bar was no longer an option.

An ex-bourbon 16yo sublime superstar of a whisky, by the Dramface scoring system I would be challenged to not rate it a 9, despite the experiential bias of having the trip of my life. But as with every joy that comes with this distillery there must also come pain, and here enters the greed that plagues the majority of us from enjoying this beautiful spirit. A tourist, of an origin from which we know sinks money into claiming whisky like Springbank, entered the scene and upon overhearing myself and some quick-to-make whisky friends from Korea sing this whisky’s praises, asserted themself to purchase the remaining whisky in the bottle.

The sense of cognitive dissonance from the bar master will never leave me, he couldn’t conceptualise why in this environment of sharing whisky, that someone would want to claim the entirety of the bottle. He created a haven of bespoke whisky for likely the best prices on the planet, a hive for the ultra-obsessed to come, sample, and enjoy. Not to take, definitely not take away. The tourist offered to pay by the dram, but was refused, he offered to pay twice the price per dram, and again no. By then the spark of chatter disintegrated and the rest of us had to sit within his frustration, until after a half considered Macallan later, he was gone.

This sobering experience had me reflecting on the folly of collecting whisky, should anything consumable ever be collected? Like a delicious meal made for an advertisement’s photograph, its purpose bastardised for lesser benefit. Whisky was made for enjoyment, for celebrating, for commiserating, for mulling. A curio for a pedestal of envy’s worship may be where whisky goes to die.

It is why when I was luckily able to purchase this Springbank Palo Cortado that the cork was off as quick as it was liberated from its plastic air cocoon.

Review

Springbank 10yo, Palo Cortado, Sherry Wood Series 2023, 55% ABV
£90 retail, long sold out

“Second in our five-part Sherry Wood Series, this whisky has been matured for six years in Bourbon casks followed by 4 years in Palo Cortado Sherry hogsheads made from Spanish oak.”
Official Springbank website

This seems to be an interesting multi-year series examining the impact of different sherry woods that Springbank are attempting, however the snakelike alternating of years in bourbon vs sherry seem to be done purely to make the maths pretty on paper. I was not able to try the initial PX release but rest assured our team has that covered.

The results were slightly above a passing grade, but PX has always been my least favourite from the sherried family and truth be told I had no chance of getting a bottle without selling an essential body part anyways. I’ve had brief experience with Palo Cortado, a Bunna’ here and there with such casking, but I haven’t dealt with them enough to have a foundation for what to expect, unlike my beloved amontillado.

Nose

This has an appearance of orange-tinged amber and almond oil.
Toasted walnuts garnishing a bitters-heavy negroni. Waves of chinotto and sweet wilted flowers with a savoury tinge of rendered guanciale.

Palate

Cherrywood smoked brisket with a spread of chilli raspberry jam. The sweetness of red apple skins or a bottle of sparkling pink lady apple juice, slightly mouth watering but sweet. Sweet and sour pork stir fried with strawberries. Chinese five spice and a pepper Christmas ham, ending with toasted pink peppercorns and a plum cake with extra allspice.

The Dregs

This is a tricky whisky for me, in some ways the sherry has dominated a touch too much, however there are some wondrous notes in here that you can only get from the interplay of a characterful sherry and that dirty deep Springbank spirit. I wonder what this whisky may have been like with some slightly less numerically rigid cask selection, but either way this was thoroughly enjoyable, as it needs again to be reminded that 7/10 around here is playing in the park of success.

This whisky was good, and though not sublime like the Single Cask in Tokyo, it gave me the space to share my relationship with Springbank, the joys and greed which surround the spirit like koi in tandem, as well as a short story, of the land which may understand it the most.

Score: 7/10

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

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