Springbank 10 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $100

- 92 Proof

- 10 Years

- Campbeltown

I certainly do love my Campbeltown single malts. They've always been tempered a bit on the peat notes, while having a touch of the salinity that you get from your typical Islay single malt. They also seem to always have something more, something I've heard described as a "Campbeltown funk," kind of in the same way I've heard of a "Wild Turkey funk."  Yet I absolutely love that "funk," which to me seems to come across as a mix of apricot and damp ocean notes.

And yet, with all the various Campbeltown offerings I've had and enjoyed over the years, for one reason or another I've never purchased a bottle of its sort of flagship offering, the Springbank 10 Year. So, when given the chance recently, particularly at a time when there wasn't much else being released to catch my eye, I finally grabbed a bottle to enjoy, to finish and to eventually review.

The nose provided that light smoke and salinity I'd expect from a Campbeltown Scotch. It also had some sweet tobacco leaf as well as some sweet and rich butterscotch mixed in, which made for a great combination. There was also something bright and crisp, kind of like a citrusy mix between orange and lemon peel.

The flavor wasn't completely in line with the nose, which was just fine. Right up front I got raisin and apricot, a nice fruity mix of rich and bright notes that seemed to play really well together. There was the expected light smoky note, that seemed to be balanced out by a delicious honey sweetness.

On the finish I got a lot of that raisin and some brown sugar, taking it away from the light honey and apricot sweetness, and more into that rich, molasses-type sweetness.  The raisin note was more of a drunken raisin note, kind of like raisins soaked in amaretto. The shift on the finish was strange, but delicious!

I'm so glad I finally grabbed a bottle.  I've had pours before, but I've never had the opportunity to really get to know this whisky, and it's one that I may be inclined to just keep a bottle as a mainstay on my shelf, even with its price and availability!

Grade: B+