We’re venturing into dangerous territory. Y’all know I absolutely worship Springbank for more or less everything they do. However, every now and the a wine cask release pops up and it’s getting sketchy.

Mostly, because in general wine cask usage is a bit sketchy (some exceptions exist), and it’s not always that it works with Springbank’s spirit. Let’s see how this one turned out.

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Funky with lots of wine cask. The funkiness is typical for Springbank, with hessian, attic mold and old grain. Fruity and woody, spices and a small whiff of smoke.

Sip:
Strong and pretty sharp, before fruitiness and some sweetness kick in. Chili heat, lots of rancio and oak.

Swallow:
A warming finish that is suddenly a bit meaty, with lots of oak, and moldy fruit. That weird sweetness…

That weird sweetness that’s not normally there in Springbank whiskies tells me that this is a bottling I’m glad I didn’t buy. I would have probably finished it at some point but with everything else the distillery releases, I guess I’d rather have any other Springbank.

Having said that, though, it’s not exactly a bad whisky. It’s just not overly interesting and has some weird flavors that don’t work well for me.

82/100

Springbank 12, 1st Fill Burgundy Casks, 2003-2016, 53.5%