With our levels getting a more amber hue, Regional's tasting were back on. First up, Campbeltown - the location for Springbank and a number of it's side project labels. Huzzah ! Six known whiskies and 2 mysteries to follow ...
Ledaig Old Particular 1998 21yo 51.5%
Nose: oak, complex, sherry, hint of salt, woody, med old, varnish
Palate: honey, oaky, caramel, salt, dry but sherry, 'bold', complex
Finish: medium, peppery, salty
8 - 8.5 /10. Really liked this one interesting, complex and definitely shows the added age.
Hazelburn 13yo 2021 48.6%
Nose: sweet, violets, lighter, hint of citrus
Palate: huge, bourbon, boiled sweets, blackballs, lemon,
Finish: medium
7/10 interesting and good, I generally like Hazelburn, but wonder if would have benefited from more ageing?
Kilkerran 12yo 46%
Nose: vanilla icecream, light, pavlova mixture
Palate: salty, dry, soft, bourbon, light, breakfast whisky
Finish: salty, short
6.5 - 7/10 nice enough, but not hugely interesting
Springbank 10yo 46%
Nose: sweet, vanilla, oaky, citrus
Palate: sweet, perfumed, violet/lavendar, very light, citrus (lemonade)
Finish: short-med, builds with a pepper/salt spritzic taste
7.5/10 again nice enough, but I think I prefer cask strength Springbanks.
Springbank 12yo 55.4%
Nose: oranges, vanilla
Palate: concentrated orange, complex, manuka honey, sweet, dry
Finish: med-long, dry
7/10 having said I like cask strength Springbanks, I might have to admit I preferred the 46% :)
Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength
Nose: light, hint of sherry, old leather
Palate: warm, sherry, xmas, PX?, dry, raisins, salty
Finish: sharp, salty, long
9/10 yup loved this one. Interesting, complex and tasted much older than it actually was !
Kilkerran Heavily Peated
Nose: light, citrus, kaffir lime, oak
Palate: lime (lots of lime!!), salt, spicy, sweet on end
Finish: med dry on finish
8/10 interesting, the lime is really strong on the palate, but you wouldn't guess it's hte Heavily Peated version
Adelphi NZ Exclusive 14yo 58.1% 'Breath of the Isles'
Nose: old furniture, citrus, sherry,light coastal influence, complex
Palate: salt, bacon, sherry, citrus
Finish: sherry, long, dry
8.5-9 /10 really nice, interesting, coastal and complex. all win for me.
Overall, interesting tasting and lots of good whisky. the Kilkerran's are coming along very nicely! and I maybe moving away from Springbank (bring back the rundlets and kilderkins bottling). There's a common theme of slight coastal (salt), and more unexpected a citrus flavour on many of the whiskies. Is that from the casks? Maybe.
