Springbank has the most interesting membership society. It costs £50 to join, and you get a lifetime membership entitling you to buy the Springbank Society bottles, among other discounts and freebies. The society bottles are very reasonably priced (this bottle was £45, think about that in today’s market), and you can have them shipped for collection at Cadenhead’s shops around Europe, including the new shop added now in Vienna.
Photo Credit: cocktailchem.blogspot.com
Like everything else in the limited world of single casks or small batch releases, these bottles fetch a much higher price on the secondary market, which is an issue I shall not delve into. I will say that limiting purchases to one per member is a step in the right direction.
Photo Credit: whiskyauctioneer.com
Springbank Society Bottling – 2007 Springbank Fresh Sauternes Hogsheads, Distilled 11.2007, Bottled May 2017, 1128 Bottles (57.1% ABV, NCF, NC)
Appearance: Amber, extremely slow legs from from the necklace.
Nose: Honey and pepper on dirty wet peat. A dry floral sweetness, with hay and sweet white wine. Green banana and red apples, with starfruit and a hint of bitter citrus. It’s farmy, and classically Campbeltown, with a hint of that signature car garage.
Palate: Thick and viscous, sweet peat, fruity with champagne, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with an intense sweetness. The pepper is present and intense, but is mitigated with a serious sweetness and a slight bitterness playing off the peat.
Linger: Peppery on the tongue and a spicy peat around the gullet. It’s dry on the inside of the cheeks and stays with you for quite a long time.
Conclusion
This is an intense dram, with a lot of spice and sweetness. The spiciness and sweetness have a go at each other over the backdrop of the gorgeous dirty peat, and it’s a beautiful game.
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