Whisky: Campbeltown - we're back in scotch world!

 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.