Springbank Saturday with a 1974 and the new Society

Yes, yes, I know, this is not a Wednesday and that is the day we use to visit Campbeltown every month on Whisky Odyssey’s Campbeltown Wednesday. But we got our hands on the very latest release of the Springbank Society bottling, which prompted us not to wait till December. And since we already planned a special Kilkerran for the upcoming Campbeltown Wednesday, you will just get something extra today. Two bottles. A Special Springbank Saturday!

Springbank released a very young 100 proof Society release just last year. Early January 2023 I got a taste when in Campbeltown, ahead of the release. I remember that the team was curious to find out how the Society members would react to such a young whisky. I am guessing, since Springbank now releases another 5 year old at 100 proof, the experiment was a success. I generally like powerful, young whisky, so I was a fan immediately. This time, we are presented with a pitch black sherry version. That must have been some sherry casks!

In the other glass: a 1974 vintage. Springbank from 1974 is very rare, if we look at the entries on Whiskybase. Only 10 were released by the distillery itself, and 1 (one) by a bottler called Scotch Malt Sales in 2002. And then there are no less than 16 expressions released by Ian Mcleod. This company has become a very serious player in the world of Scottish whisky, now being the owner of not only Glengoyne and Tamdhu, but they even reopened the legendary Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk. Back in the day I knew them only from their (sometimes fantastic) independent bottlings like the Dun Bheagan and Chieftain’s Choice series.

Now, why did Ian Mcleod bottle no less than 16 casks of very old Springbank? The youngest being a 28 years old, the oldest 31 years old to conclude these releases in 2006. We sent a message to a well-known representative of the company. The reply was that some digging is needed to find out, so while we wait for information, we can only taste.

Springbank 2019, 5 years old, bottled at 57,1% abv

Makeup: Distilled in 2019 and matured in “fresh sherry”, it does not go into more details than that. This Society bottling was put into glass in October 2024 and transported immediately to my desk. How is that for speed!? This time there were 1900 bottles, instead of 2166 for the bourbon version.

General impressions: Springbank is flexing its muscles with this one, proving that good sherry casks are still in existence these days. The aroma coming from the glass shows all elements of classic sherry maturation, but it leans more towards leather, cigar leaves and furniture polish. The palate turns into a sticky mess as soon as we take a sip. Tasty maple syrup, sweet-sour berries, and an incredible dose of wood smoke. Some alcohol hotness on the finish seduces me to add some water, but in general this one is fine to drink neat.

With water, more concentrated red fruits. No raisins were hurt in the making of this bottle. Hints of Colombian coffee, some peaches, slight hints of tangerine, but not much. The nose is very concentrated, water did not change much there. The taste however got a whole lot sweeter, which makes me think at least one PX-cask was used. But the subtly dry, leathery exit puts it firmly back onto an oloroso path. The balance is amazing, not unlike some sherry monsters we tried from Ardnamurchan, with whom I cannot escape the feeling Springbank is deliberately trying to compete with here. This is west coast malt for you. With water, the finish is a tad sweeter, without becoming too sugary. Excellent blending of a few casks here, the balance is really outstanding.

Conclusion: It has been a while since we had a true sherry monster in the glass. This reminds me of a very young (7 years old) Glenrothes that Adelphi had good stock from some twenty years ago. But then there is the Springbank spirit that elevates this way beyond Speyside lines, obviously, in territory that seemed the domain of newcomers, like said Ardnamurchan. Springbank can play this game too, and maybe even better. The time seems right for a core range addition of these youngsters, that shows age is not the only ingredient for handsome single malt whisky.

Score: 90 points

Springbank 1974, 29 years old, bottled at 51,2 % abv by Ian Mcleod

Makeup: This particular single cask was distilled on 11 October 1974; by now over 50 years ago. Amazing, what an age has passed us by. This Springbank matured 29 years in bourbon cask #1778 and produced 216 bottles. In my next life I want to return as whisky, just resting in a cask for a few decades before being consumed by a blog nerd.

General impressions: This bottling was done for the Dutch market but the smell has actually something of Asian cuisine here. Lots of herbal and spicy notes, like curry chutney. Somehow I also detect an earthy tone to all this, like wet dirt on your shovel when working in the garden. Might this Springbank be distilled after a Longrow run? Some smoke seems to have been left behind in there. It all makes for an a-typical Springbank experience.

Taking a first sip, we are firmly in the middle of Campbeltown, with a waxy note and again some smokiness. There is enough bitterness from the cask to remind us this is a whisky with distinction, at a very mature age. The finish lingers on chocolate and cold coffee for quite a while, allowing us for a slight break and adding some water. I won’t say the whisky changes drastically from those few drops, but it does bring out some flowers, like deep red coloured tulips and roses. Eventually, I pick up some candied freshness. The liquid turns extremely cloudy from a few drops of water. The taste seems to lean more towards leather, including a dry note, and the overall feeling is quite peppery, mixed with some zest too.

Conclusion: The truth is, I tasted this particular bottling a few times. The first time was when it came out. The second time I tasted it in my blind tasting club not so long ago. Blind tasting is honest. I guessed it to be a middle-aged Longrow, perhaps even an a-typical Caol Ila. Both guesses were wrong, but you get an idea of what this Springbank tastes like. I do not have too much experience with 1970s Springbank, but tasted on its own, this one carries a style that shows power, quality and complexity. But to me, it also shows some flaws. That makes these bottlings very interesting, but since they go for at least 1.400 euro these days, I would look elsewhere.  

Score: 87 points

Got a question about these whisky? Or do you just want to say something about it? There is a contactform on the bottom of this page!  

Share this on your social media! - and check mine while you're at it :)