Springbank Palo Cortado Cask Matured 10 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $200

- 110 Proof

- 10 Years

- Campbeltown

I feel like every time I review a Springbank I profess my love for anything coming out of Campbeltown. But, I'm all for consistency, so once again allow me to profess my love for anything and everything coming out of Campbeltown. I don't know what it is about this tiny region of Scotland, but they just seem to be able to do no wrong in my book when it comes to making whisky.

So, of course when I got the chance to grab this 10 year matured in Palo Cortado casks, I had to jump at it! Afterall, I can't say I've ever had anything matured in Palo Cortado casks, let alone a Springbank. It was about one of the easiest decisions I've ever made.

Right away on the nose I got a rich dark cherry note. Interestingly, that was immediately followed by a sort of mustiness, like walking through the woods after the rain. It was kind of mossy smelling. I did get a bit of light smoke and there was also a bright citrus note, giving it a sort of a burnt orange quality.

The peat smoke wasn't big on the nose, but it was significantly more prominent on the palate, hitting my tongue immediately upon my first sip. The cherry note was also there, kind of like a Maraschino cherry but with tempered sweetness.

I definitely got that same mossy or musty note, but oddly I found myself really enjoying it. It added a sort of an earthy note to the cherry and smoke, keeping either one from being overpowering. It also seemed to make that cherry note lean more toward blackberry or even fig on later pours.

There was also a distinct dark chocolate note that I really enjoyed, and that note seemed to really shine on the finish. This had a great, oily mouthfeel allowing for a long-lived finish. A light bit of smoke lingered a bit as well leaving me with an interesting smokey dark chocolate dessert like flavor.

This was somewhat different from other sherry matured peated Scotches, but I really liked the nuance here as well as its uniqueness.  I found myself frequently grabbing this bottle over other sherry-finished peated single malts because of what set it apart.

Grade: A-

Longrow Red 15 Year Pinot Noir Cask Matured Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $180

- 102.8 Proof

- 15 Years

- 2022 Release

- Campbeltown

For those that know me, they know that I love my peated Scotches.  I love them even more when they're matured in wine casks.  And, I tend to love them even more when they hail from Campbeltown.  Release it as part of the Longrow Red series and I'm pretty much guaranteed to have a bottle I know I'll absolutely love. 

So, a 15 year Pinot Noir cask matured bottling from the Longrow Red series is certainly far from a reach for me. Even at the hefty price tag, I really didn't give it a second thought. That said, I certainly recognize that this is at the high end of bottlings at that age, and I'm not suggesting it's a value in any way. I'm just saying that I knew going in that this would be my jam, so the value was there for me.

The nose was full of spiced berries, kind of like a mulled wine that was very cherry and blackberry forward.  There was even a bit of currant in there as well. The Pinot Noir casks definitely made an impression here.  I also got a slight anise note, as well as a light smokey note. All in all it was this sort of sweet barbecue note and it absolutely had me salivating.

As to flavor, although Pinot Noir isn't a sweet wine, the maturation certainly imparted some sweet characteristics. This was most noticeable in the peat, as the smokey notes I was getting were sweet, almost like when you overbake a pie.  That sweet smokey note mixed perfectly with what was a very distinct spiced cherry note that I couldn't get enough of.

And while the smoke was on the sweeter end, that's a bit relative. This was not an overly sweet whisky at all. It wasn't like an over-sherried Scotch. Rather, it was balanced, allowing the sweet notes to come from the peat and the malt rather than from the barrel. 

In addition to the cherry and sweet smoke, I also got notes of plum and, every now and then, a bright honey note. On the finish I found a great dark chocolate note, which worked incredibly well with the sweet smoke and spiced cherry notes. I simply couldn't wait for the next sip.

Once again, Longrow Red has done it for me.  I just can't get enough of these!

Grade: A

Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch No. 4 Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $100

- 117.2 Proof

- NAS

- Batch No. 4

- Campbeltown

I certainly have an affinity for just about anything coming out of Campbeltown (and based on their prices lately, I'm apparently not alone in this). A couple years ago one of the stores by me got in a bunch of bottles from the Kilkerran line, and I decided at that time to grab the Heavily Peated. 

It was something I had never tried, and it was a bit different from the usual Campbeltown stuff I've enjoyed, which tends to be a bit on the lighter side of peated.  I figured perhaps it might find some great middle ground between a Campbeltown and an Islay, or at worst a decent version of one or the other.

The nose was certainly smoky, but the peat did not dominant. Rather, it was more like a mezcal, providing that smokey flavor but without all the phenols. It even had a bit of an agave sweetness and a bright honeydew note to it.  The only thing that kept it from smelling just like a mezcal was the sweet butter and brown sugar notes that also came through. That said, this combination apparently worked, because I couldn't get my nose out of the glass.

This is a bottle that I sat on for a while, and as a result I almost had two different experiences with it. When I first opened it, it had those bright, citrus notes that I was getting off the nose. It absolutely had some honeydew or cantaloupe notes to it, which actually paired pretty well with the sweet smoky note.  But, it wasn't what I was expecting to get out of a heavily peated Campbeltown.  

It did have some darker cherry notes as well, which, along with the smoke, gave it a sort of barbecue sauce note.  But it was a citrusy or even a mango barbecue sauce. This was a bit odd and a bit out of place with the bright melon notes.

However, months, even years down the road, as I got toward the bottom of this bottle, the flavor really seemed to shift on me. It got away from those fruity notes almost entirely. By the end, I got none of those bright melon notes, but rather rich brown butter notes, with honey and brown sugar. There was a sweet graham cracker note, and all of this was tempered by the ever-present smoky notes, and even a little bit of black pepper spice.

Had I graded this bottle on the last half only, I would have given this an A, maybe even an A+.  It was that good.  I just wasn't sure what to make of it at first. It wasn't bad by any stretch. In fact it was quite good.  But, it was just . . . unexpected, I guess.  Either way, I will certainly be grabbing future releases.

Grade: B+ 

Longrow Red Cabernet Franc Matured 11 Year Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $150

- 111.8 Proof

- 11 years

- Campbeltown

The Longrow Red series has long been my favorite "series" or annual release, probably in all of whiskey/whisky. In fact, it was the Pinot Noir Cask that I had back in 2017 that turned me on to wine finished, peated scotches, and my insatiable love for sweet and peat!! Ever since then I've made it a point to get my hands on and try anything fruity and peaty that I can find.

While most of those are matured in either sherry or port (port tends to be my favorite), this one was matured in Cabernet Franc barrels. I'm certainly no wine guy, so I have no opinion on or experience with cabernet franc. But, given that I absolutely loved the Malbec Longrow Red, and I know that I don't particularly like Malbecs, I figured I couldn't go wrong with this one either. 

Right up front on the nose I got those rich fruit notes I've come to expect from these bottlings. It was full of bright raspberry and black currant. There was a light smokiness to it as well, along with some black pepper spice on the back end. It had a bit of a sweet barbecue note and I could not wait to dive into it.

The flavor was full of rich, fruity notes, but not quite as bright as on the nose. It leaned more dark fruits like blackberry and plum. It was sweetened, however, by a great honey note. That was all underscored by a malty backbone that came across like a honey wheat bread, but a good one, like the kind you'd buy from a bakery.

The peat smoke was there but not pervasive. Like most Campbeltown Scotches, it doesn't slap you in the face the way an Islay might. But it was still there to provide that great balance and "meatiness" to accompany the sweet and fruity notes. There was also a white peppercorn type spice, particularly on the back end. 

The finish reminded me a lot of sangria. It had the rich wine flavors, with dark fruit notes and a bit of tannins to counter the sweetness, which came from a bright orange note that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The finish wasn't particularly long, but the flavors were absolutely delicious!

Unsurprisingly, I loved this bottle, and I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the lineup sitting on my shelf.

Grade: A

Kilkerran Port Cask Matured 8 Year Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $180

- 115.8 Proof

- 8 Years

- Campbeltown

I can't help myself when it comes to those peated and fruited Scotches. I love that combination of smokey deliciousness paired with the flavor that comes from maturation in wine barrels, especially fortified wines like port or sherry. In fact, I've come to learn that I tend to favor a port cask maturation over all others.

So when I first learned of these Kilkerran releases, including not only this port cask finish, but also a sherry cask finish, I knew I had to try to track one down somehow. I honestly figured it wouldn't happen, but then I wandered into Warehouse Liquors in Chicago and there it was on the shelf, just begging me to buy it and give it a good home. Of course, I couldn't help myself, despite the hefty price tag. 

The one constant with this single malt is that it is jammy!!  the nose was full of notes of stewed plum and bread pudding.  I got notes of spiced or mulled wine, as well as rich dark chocolate. There was a fairly heavy raisin note as well. But, all of that was layered on top of a jammy blackberry note that really took center stage.

The flavor followed suit, as right up front and through the finish my palate was inundated with sweet blackberry and fig notes. It was rich and sweet ad delicious!! Of course I got a light smokiness from the peat, but it was a bit minimized by the heavy dark fruit character.

There were other notes going on, though, beyond the fruit and smoke. There was a layer of dark chocolate that was also constant from the front and through the finish, adding a bit more richness and complexity, and helping pull back from the sweet fruit notes. I got a bit of black pepper spice, particularly on the finish, as well as a bit of salinity that, quite frankly, really worked here, mixing well with the blackberry and campfire notes. 

If there's a criticism here, it's that this is VERY jammy (yes, I'm using that word a lot, but here it fits). There's no question the port dominates here.  But, I nonetheless found myself not only loving every sip, but actually getting cravings for a pour. For what it is, it was absolutely delicious!

Grade: A-

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+

Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $70

- 92 Proof

- NAS

- Campbeltown

First off, let me start by saying that I had to use a stock photo for this one rather than my typical empty bottle photo because I waited too long to write this review, and that empty bottle ended up in the recycling bin as empty bottles are wont to do.  I still wanted to get this review up, though, so stock photo it is.

I honestly didn't even have this bottle on my radar, but one day I got a text from one of my liquor store guys with a picture and the question of, "Do you want it?"  My knee jerk reaction was, "Of course!" But, I refrained and did a bit digging, and I learned that this is a blend of all five whisky brands that hail from Campbeltown -- Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn, Kilkerran and Glen Scotia. Springbank bottled the blend as the label suggests.  So, with that 30 seconds of research on my phone, my response was still, "Of course!"

The nose was soft and very malty. It reminded me of the inside of a Whoppers candy, even with the added chocolate note. I also got a good amount of sweet tobacco leaf. It seems a bit of an odd combination, but all that, along with notes of honey, lemongrass and butterscotch gave this a sweet, soft and interesting nose.

As to flavor, right up front I got the butterscotch that only seemed light on the nose. I also got a healthy amount of caramel, which, I acknowledge, is a very similar flavor, but one with some distinction. The tip of my tongue was hit with a light black pepper spice as well, helping detract from the immediately sweet profile.

As I worked my way through this bottle (which I did with relative speed), I got some brighter notes. Not quite the lemongrass I was getting on the nose, but there was a golden raisin note that I really enjoyed. I also got a sort of nutty, earthy note that was sweet at the same time, kind of like cashews with a bit of a grassy note.

The finish, however, is what made this bottle worth it for me. The finish was like a rich dessert, full of nougat and caramel, along a rich dark chocolate note that helped keep it from leaning too sweet. The bright notes seemed to fade away, leaving on the finish the taste of a well-made dark chocolate turtle bar. 

While the idea of the blend comes across as a gimmick, the fact of the matter is Springbank still staked their name to it, and, like seemingly everything Springbank does (yes, I'm a bit of a fanboy), this was another winner!

Grade: B+

Kilkerran 16 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $140

- 92 Proof

- 16 Years

- Campbeltown

While I feel like I've been grabbing many Islay and other peated Scotches lately, particularly some of the more limited releases from Ardbeg and Laphroaig, I still have a big soft spot in my heart for Campbeltown single malts. They, of course, have that peat that I so desire. But, there's just something else to them that has always drawn them in.

What it is exactly, I haven't yet been able to quite put my thumb on. There's just a certain "dusty" quality, a kind of funk that I don't get out of other peated whiskeys. Perhaps it's all in my head, and in my mind I've built up Campbeltown Scotches to be more unique than they are. But, the fact of the matter is I continue to love everything that comes out of that region. So, I was thrilled when I was finally able to grab one of these 16 year Kilkerran's off the shelf. 

On the nose, that peated smoky noted was present, but certainly not overpowering. It was a bit subtle and allowed other notes to come through. The nose beyond the smoke was lemony and malty. It had a certain graham cracker and honey note to it, even bready at times. It also had some brighter, almost tropical notes, including apricot and a sweet orange marmalade note. 

Much like the nose, the peat wasn't overpowering. It was there, to be sure. But it didn't try to overtake the other flavors that were happening, and seemed to act as more of a complement to the malt itself, including allowing its sweetness to come through. It was a natural sweetness, kind of like honey, but lighter and crisper, if that makes any sense at all. 

The graham cracker from the nose certainly came through on the palate, along with a brown sugar note and some notes of vanilla. In fact, as I worked through my bottle, that vanilla note seemed to come more and more forward with each new pour. The malt notes seemed to shine a bit as well, with the flavor of a fresh, crisp pilsner.

Behind all of that was a brighter, citrus-like note, much like I was getting off the nose. It wasn't as jammy and sweet as marmalade, but it certainly came across as a bright, fresh orange note. In fact, that flavor seemed to stick around for the finish, along with the malt notes and even just a bit of peat, leaving quite a yummy taste in my mouth after each sip.

The price is a bit steep, as it tends to be on just about any Campbeltown offering these days, but I thought this single malt was absolutely delicious, full of flavor and yet subtle all at once.

Grade: B+

Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice Glen Scotia 25 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $200

- 110 Proof

- 25 Years

- Batch 18/015

- Campbeltown

This is certainly not something that I went out actively looking for.  But, when I saw this sitting behind the glass at Woodman's, I was immediately intrigued. This checks all sorts of great boxes. It's 25 years old.  It's bottled at cask strength. It's aged in a first-fill bourbon barrel.  It's a very limited bottling at only 157 bottles. And most importantly, it's a Campbeltown single malt!  

Of course, it's pricey, but that kind of comes with the territory of such well-aged whiskey, and with all of those boxes checked, it's just the kind of whisky that will loosen up those purse strings.  Plus, it's one of those bottles that even the most avid of whisky drinkers will not have had a chance to try.  So, onto my shelf, and eventually into my belly, it went.

The nose was bright and light, with notes of strawberry and hay. It had a light smokiness to it as well, along with a touch of salinity. There was a natural sweetness to it, kind of like a honey note, as well as a light cracker note, all of which came across almost like Honeycombs cereal.

The flavor was incredible. While this wasn't aged in wine barrels, it was still bright fruit-forward, with a delicious raspberry note coming in strong up front. I also got a sweet and spicy cinnamon note to go with. There was also a sort of a funky, musty note. I know that sounds bad, but it had that kind of Saisson flavor to it, which actually balanced really well with the raspberry.

The finish is where this whisky really stood out!  It had a lingering spicy finish, with a nice mix of cinnamon and black pepper spices. There was also a bit of that salinity I got from the nose, and the bright fruit notes that I got up front seemed to reappear even stronger. I got great flavors of raspberry and currant, and behind that was a great, smooth butterscotch flavor that coated the back of my throat. I found myself just enjoying that butterscotch note for as long as I could.

As I mentioned, this was pricey, but I certainly don't feel as if it weren't worth the price. This was incredibly complex and, most of all, delicious!

Grade: A

Springbank Madeira Cask Matured 17 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $250

- 95.6 Proof

- 17 Years

- Campbeltown

This was absolutely a splurge bottle. I bought it a couple years back, and it was one of those bottles that I ordinarily wouldn't drop that kind of coin on, but at the time I had just gotten my bonus at work and was looking for a "splurge" bottle to celebrate, and this had just landed at my store. Even then, I certainly gave it a second thought. At that time the tariffs on Scotch imports were still in place, and even with that additional tax, the price seemed a bit exorbitant.

However, my love for Springbank and my intrigue over the Madeira cask finish got the best of me (as well as the availability of some expendable funds), and I pulled the trigger. I don't know that I'll ever spend that kind of money on a 17 year Scotch again, but I will say that in this case, I don't regret it and I don't have buyer's remorse, as this was truly delicious!

On the nose I got great notes of strawberry and dark chocolate. Chocolate covered strawberries was one of my mom's favorite treats, so we had them around my house frequently, and this took me right back to then. There was also a light smoke to it as well.  It's certainly not heavily peated, but just a touch of char added to the mix.

The flavor was full of rich, dark fruit notes. I got bright and deep blackberry, blueberry and currant notes. It also had that bright and fresh strawberry note that I was getting on the nose. That was all accompanied by the notes of dark chocolate, with even a touch of balancing bitterness.

It was certainly on the sweeter end of the spectrum, with that sweetness not only coming from those bright fruit-forward notes, but also notes of honey and even burnt sugar. It was more of a natural sweetness, in that sense, accompanied by a light char or smoke note.

On the finish, that all came together to kind of provide a sweet and tangy barbecue note that just kind of stuck around in my cheeks. There was a light pepper note as well as a bit of that smoke note that also seemed to linger a bit, but those sweet and tangy notes really stuck around forever, making me want more and more.

Again, this was a very pricey bottle, but it was also incredibly tasty and I'm so glad I got my hands on one. I tried to do a slow-burn, enjoying it periodically, but by the time I got to the bottom third of my bottle, the rest just seemed to magically disappear! Not sure how that happened!

Grade: A

Longrow Red Malbec Cask Matured 13 Year Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:
- $150

- 102.6 Proof

- 13 Years

- Campbeltown

The "Red" series from Longrow is hands down my favorite series among whiskeys.  Every single one has been absolutely fantastic, finding a great balance between the salty smoke of the peat and the rich fruit-forward notes provided by the cask finish. 

This particular one, released in 2017, was matured in Malbec casks. I don't drink wine any more, but when I did, I gave Malbecs a try a few different times. I just did not enjoy them, for whatever reason. So, while I, of course, grabbed this one nonetheless, figuring how bad could it be, I went into it thinking this might be the first one that didn't blow me away. I couldn't have been more wrong, though. This was an incredible dram!

On the nose, the wine notes do seem to overpower the peat smoke, making the smokiness of it almost secondary. The aroma is dominated by rich blackberry and dark cherry, along with a good amount of oak offering a balancing bitterness. The peat is there, but comes across as more of a char note.

The flavor, though, was everything I could have hoped for. This bottle was all sweet, fruity smoke, and I loved it. Cherry and fig dominated the fruity notes, providing a dark and rich sweetness.  And yet, it was never a super-sweet whisky. There was a lot of balance to it, as it also had a cranberry note that added some tartness, and that same oak from the nose to add a bit of earthiness and a touch of bitterness.

What stood out with this bottle, though, was something rich and almost meaty. It reminded me of cherry wood smoked barbecue, or perhaps a reduced cherry barbecue sauce. It had smoke, it had sweet cherry, it had sweet brown sugar and it had barbecue spice. I've never had something like this before, and I wonder how much of that was the Malbec influence. I certainly don't get notes like this from the sweeter Port or Sherry finishes.

This might just be one of my favorite whiskeys I've ever had. The nose was just good, but whatever. It's the nose. The flavor absolutely floored me, with an incredible balance of rich sweetness, peat smoke and spice that made everything go perfectly, like each note had a purpose, even down to the cranberry.  I saved the last pour for quite some time, not wanting to finish the bottle, but now I just may have to track another one of these down.

Grade: A+

Hazelburn Oloroso Cask Matured 13 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $100

- 100.6 Proof

- 13 Years

- Campbeltown

This is the next bottle in my foray into Campbeltown Scotches. I've had a Hazelburn before, starting with the 10 Year that tends to be a bit more available. But, when the opportunity came along to grab one of these 13 year Hazelburns finished in Oloroso casks, there was no question I was going to bite. I certainly enjoyed the 10 year, and this seemed like one hell of a step up to continue on with other offerings.

I certainly took my time with this bottle, dipping  back into it for a pour or two maybe once a month, if that. But, over the past week or so, I found myself reaching for this bottle far more frequently. I'm not sure if it's simply due to the fact that I finally got to the halfway point and figured I might as well keep going, or perhaps due to the fact that there was a certain quality about this whiskey that was just hitting right for me. I'm sure it likely was a combination of both.

The Oloroso Sherry casks really took center stage on the nose. I got a ton of rich dark fruit aromas. I was getting rich and jammy blackberry right up front, as well as a bit of tart cherry. I also got a brighter black raspberry and even a fig note. It even had a light tannic note really evoking those wine flavors in the barrel. There was also a sort of brown sugar sweetness, but beyond that, it was all dark fruit notes.

The word "rich" can't be used enough in describing this whiskey. From my very first sip the first notes I wrote were "rich and oily."  That richness came in the form of those same dark fruit notes I was getting on the nose. It was a bit different though. There was a brighter fruit note but with a tart backbone, kind of like cranberry. I even got a bit of a red grape flavor. 

While it had those dark fruits, as well as that tannic wine note I got on the nose, the flavor actually gave way to a much wider array of notes. That dark fruit was layered over lighter but sweet notes of brown sugar and honey. I even got light notes of mint, which was an odd, yet pleasing combination.

That mint seemed to linger on the finish as well, along with a bright, citrusy orange note. The honey sweetness was also present on the finish, making for a great combination of otherwise unexpected flavors. That bright cranberry tartness also seemed to find its way into the finish from time to time.

This Scotch was surprising in that the nose had me expecting something much different than what I got out of the flavor. I thought this was going to be all wine note with some spice, but what I got was far more interesting, complex, and even brighter and lighter. This was a really fun and, more importantly, really tasty Scotch, and it's really no wonder that it went so fast once I got about halfway down.

Grade: B+

Glen Scotia Double Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $50

- 92 Proof

- NAS

- Campbeltown

Here I am once again dipping back into Campbeltown malts. I've found my love for the region, and ever since I've been getting my hands on what I could to try as much of it as I possibly can.  This particular bottle was an easy one for me. It's a regular on the shelves, and it's not price-prohibitive, as I've found other Campbeltown malts tend to be. 

I first opened this particular bottle during an at-home date night with my wife.  I had a charcuterie board with all sorts of meats and cheeses to enjoy, and I paired that with three different whiskeys, a bourbon, a Japanese whisky, and this Glen Scotia Double Cask.  That was quite a while ago, and I remember at that time feeling that this was good but didn't quite get to great. It got put in a box and left on my shelf untouched for a few months, and when I went back to it, I found I enjoyed it immensely more than when I first opened it. 

Although this is finished in both American oak and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, the Sherry didn't come through nearly as much as I expected. On the nose I got notes of brown sugar and leather, as well as a sweet tobacco aroma. There was a bit of allspice in the mix, as well as a bit of salinity to it. I didn't get that bright raspberry that I typically associate with Sherry casks, but instead I got kind of an orange marmalade note.

The first notes I jotted down when I first tasted this Scotch were brown sugar and a slight brine note. It had that sweet and salty character to it. It also had more of an earthiness than I expected given the Sherry finish, and it reminded me of a whole wheat bread.

Throughout the bottle it had a decent spice to it, with black pepper providing a bit of bite. It also had a decent amount of oak influence, as well as a cinnamon note. It wasn't until later pours that a certain smokiness came through, but that smoky flavor came across as sweet, oddly enough. It was like a smoky caramel note that I really enjoyed.

The finish was great. I got notes of caramelized banana balanced by that black pepper spice. It also had this sort of buttery quality on the finish, both in texture and flavor. Finally, it was on the finish, particularly on the last few pours, that the sherry notes seemed to finally make themselves known. I got this sort of rich, dark raspberry note. Not bright like fresh raspberries, but almost like wine-soaked raspberries. It was really good, and I wished that this flavor had made its presence known sooner.

Overall I ended up really enjoying this whiskey, even if it didn't really move the needle at first. It certainly hasn't detracted me from pursuing more Campbeltown malts!

Grade: B

Springbank Cask Strength 12 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $120

- 114.2 Proof

- 12 Years

- Campbeltown

One of my buddies, who also happens to work at a liquor store, is well-aware of my relatively recent fascination with all things Campbeltown. As a result, I've been fortunate to get first shot at some of the more allocated Campbeltown releases when they come in. Luckily for me, the demand on those isn't nearly as high as it is for allocated bourbons.

Recently his store got in the Kilkerran 8 year cask strength and this Springbank 12 year cask strength. I had only planned on getting one bottle that day, so I went with the one with more age. The fact that I've so far loved everything Springbank certainly made it an easier choice as well. This was also the first time that I've seen the 12 year cask strength on the shelves, so I wanted to make sure not to pass up the opportunity.

On the nose I got a light smokiness along with black pepper, both which seemed to tickle my nostrils. Underneath that spicy smoke note, though, was smooth salted caramel, along with rich dark chocolate. It even had a touch of bitterness to it to balance everything out. There was a lot going on here, but it all worked together.

As to flavor, much like the nose, I got a light smoke up front. This certainly wasn't a heavily peated whisky, but it didn't necessarily shy away from it. I also got a distinct earthy note, something almost musty and funky. It was oaky and almost piney. It sounds a bit weird as I write this, but I actually loved it. That earthy note gave it a lot of character and funk.  It also had that black pepper bite up front.

I think what I liked most about that earthy note is the fact that it was immediately followed by a great balancing sweetness. This whisky was full of butterscotch and brown sugar. It also had this consistent chocolate covered almond note. Yet it never got anywhere close to being too sweet, and remained very well-balanced.

The light smoke seemed to really complement the butterscotch notes, particularly on the finish, where both notes seemed to linger forever. This had me diving back into my glass for the next sip. That combination was so incredibly good and provided for a rich and tasty finished that was capstoned by that black pepper spice just to keep it interesting.

Springbank has done it again for me with this one. Even if the Sherry influence wasn't strong, the well-roundedness and the combination of otherwise great flavors made for one enjoyable dram! I understand it's a twice a year release, and I'm absolutely going to have my eye out for future releases.

Grade: A

Longrow Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $70

- 92 Proof

- NAS

- Campbeltown

I've mentioned in the past my recent exploration of and admiration for all things coming out of Campbeltown. This is just a continuance of that exploration. Lately, though, I've been gravitating back towards peat as well. I've always loved peated Scotch, particularly when married with a sherry, port or other wine finishes. Yet, due to my hyper-focus on the bourbon and rye categories, that delicious, smoky liquid just hasn't been enough of a part of my life the last couple years.

And so, I picked this bottle up (along with a few others) with the intention of not only trying more from the Springbank distillery, but also to re-stock and re-familiarize myself with some nice, peaty expressions. At the very least it provides for a nice change of pace from my usual pours, and it's nice to have something different now and again.

The nose was, as expected, full of peat. However, it was kind of like a smoked salted caramel, which really worked. In fact, it makes me wonder how smoked caramel would actually be--probably great on vanilla ice cream!  I also got a sweet buttery note along with a light black pepper spice. At times I got a sort of herbal or grassy note as well, but the peat and caramel certainly dominated.

As to flavor, of course I've been drinking a lot more bourbon over the past years, so perhaps I have some recency bias. But, I thought this was a very bourbon-like Scotch layered over a pleasant peat note. I was getting a lot of those traditional bourbon notes, primarily vanilla and caramel. There was also a sort of graham cracker note that also evoked those bourbon-like qualities. 

Beyond that, though, were plenty of other sweet and bright notes. In addition to the caramel, there was this light and bright honey sweetness that stood out. This seemed to mingle with citrus notes like orange and apricot, and even a little bit of peach thrown in. This combination along with the nice, oily texture (particularly given the proof) provided for a finish that was jammy and sweet and absolutely delicious. In fact on the finish these other notes seemed to almost take over the peat.

As far as peated Scotch goes, this had everything I loved. It gave me that great smoky quality, but it didn't get in the way of all the other great notes that were coming through. I was pleasantly surprised at how bourbon-like many of these flavors were, and I loved the way all these different notes--the peat, the rich and sweet caramel, and the bright and sweet jammy notes--all worked together. Springbank continues to do it for me!

Grade: A-

Hazelburn 10 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $80

- 92 Proof

- 10 Years

- Campbeltown

I've been dipping my toes back into Scotch quite a bit lately. In fact, it really started when a friend of mine who happens to have a very impressive Scotch selection let me do a tasting of Campbeltown. I had five different Campbeltown single malts that night, and found myself loving every one of them. So, I then found myself perusing the Scotch aisle as well as the bourbon aisle on my trips to the liquor store, just to see what was there that I needed to try.

This 10-year Hazelburn was one such Scotch that I felt I needed to try. I figured I should start with the sort of mainstays, to learn what I like and don't like about the different Campbeltown distilleries, few though they may be. This particular bottle is a triple distilled, unpeated single malt. Though the bottle doesn't indicate as such, my brief research tells me that it's aged in ex-bourbon casks. 

The nose, interestingly, gave of a bit of saltiness. It also had a lot of cracker notes but a bit sweeter. Perhaps more like a shortbread cookie. It had a light grassiness to it, even with a bit of a musty hay smell. On top of all this, though, was a maple frosting note that I really enjoyed. It reminded me of the maple frosted donuts that you can sometimes find.

I found this whisky to be somewhat light in flavor. Perhaps that's why many reference this as a good, entry-level Scotch. There was nothing bold or punchy about it. It did have a good, earthy nuttiness to it, though that I appreciated, along with an almost buttery note to give it some delicate richness, despite it coming across as a bit watery or thin.

I got some sweet and rich notes of brown sugar and caramel as well. When I did my tasting, that was one thing that I appreciated about the Campbeltown Scotches was that they all had a sort of undercurrent of bourbon-like notes, which certainly appealed to my bourbon-loving palate. There were also light, unsweetened vanilla notes and a touch of black pepper on the front end as well. 

The finish, surprisingly, provided for a decent burn that I really enjoyed. It had the spice from the black pepper but almost a bit of a cinnamon heat as well. There was a light salinity to the finish, something I expected more of given that it was one of the first things I noticed when I smelled it. I also got a lingering cookie note, like a butter cookie.  Despite that the finish was fairly short-lived, this butter cookie note did seem to stick behind for a bit, which was alright with me because it was quite enjoyable.

As an entry-level Scotch, particularly as I continue to introduce myself to this region I previously knew very little about, I found this to be quite suiting. The price certainly does not scream entry-level, however, and that's a bit of a barrier to entry. That said, it certainly will be steering me towards more Campbeltown offerings in the very near future.

Grade: B