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Springbank 8 Year Vintage 2001 55.3%

Nose: A balanced layer of smoke and limestone. Redskin Spanish peanuts, which is funny because I haven’t seen these once since moving to Spain 4 years ago. Caramelized goat cheese and microgreens. Pink grapefruit supremes. A classic Springbank oceanside parking lot; sea mist on hot tarmac. I’ve (Ryan) been on a journey to figure out what the core DNA is for Springbank on the nose, tonight it’s the sassafras in a really good root beer soda. We are kicking off a 50 sample long Springbank tasting for the next few months, so we’ll see if this holds up.

Palate: Super intense cedar and packing tape. I loved those boxes from which we’d drink nigori sake so much Julie bought me some for the holidays. They just take all the flavors up a notch. A rock hard piece of Bazooka Joe’s bubble gum from last halloween, complete with the cartoon. Fillings be damned. Sushi ginger. Stale tea biscuits. Green apple skins. Finish is crab apples, and long finish goes cardboard and cacao nibs.

Rating: ? / 10 – simple and what I’m beginning to be afraid might become eponymous, a hippopotamus of a Springbank. In all the best ways. I often wished the Springbank 10, my favorite of all core line bottles in Scotland, was available at a higher proof. This is what I was imagining.