For a change, this is not an old, forgotten sample from my cupboard. Which means as much as I knew I had it, but it still is old and from my cupboard, just not forgotten.

A whisky friend went to the Springbank Open Day in 2016 and did a massive share of everything that was picked up there, and this is one of them. I have been putting of most of the whiskies in that share, though. Mostly because they’re all high strength stuff and somehow, I’m not often in the mood for that. Not for reviewing them, at least.

So here it is. An eight year old Sherry cask from Springbank’s Open Day, four years ago. It’s a sherry cask, which generally works well with young Campbeltown spirit, so let’s find out where this one sits!

Sniff:
Massively funky fruity sherry. A lot of barley, with quite some oak. A lot of bitterness, quite some Springbank-y funkiness.

Sip:
Incredibly dry and sharp, but in a delicious way. Bitter, dry, fruity, funky, oaky. Cherry stones, almonds, walnuts, dates, plums. Some baking spices too, with oak and dry barley ears.

Swallow:
A warming finish, with more of the hessian, sulfur, bitterness. A lot of fruitiness, spices and oak.

This, dear reader, is exactly what I meant with ‘It’s a sherry cask, which generally works well with young Campbeltown spirit‘. I absolutely love the funkiness in combination with a lot of other complexity. Especially when there’s some nuttiness and fruit involved. The sherry is clearly present but so is the whisky and it works together marvelously.

90/100

Kilkerran 8yo, bottled on 26/04/2016, Sherry cask, 56.4%, Springbank Open Day.