Springbank 1997, 11YO (Madeira Wood)

Photo provided by The Whisky Exchange

This whisky is fully matured in Madeira wood and is a new release from Spring­bank. It is matured in Madeira Wood for 11 years and bot­tled in Jan­u­ary 2009. Rich, sweet, spicy. One of the big hits at 2009 year’s Whisky Live in Glasgow.

This one was fully matured in Madeira wood, not just finished. Colour: full gold. Nose: this is rougher and wilder than the 18, and not just because of the higher strength. First whiffs of distillation, wash, boiled cereals… Then the very same kind of rather superb smokiness as in the 18 (maybe a tad more towards a garden fire under the rain), and finally a lot of cereally and mashy notes again, not quite porridgy but… Hints of Madeira indeed but it’s anything but winey as such. Old walnuts, cake, malt. With water: impressive, we’re very close to the 18 now! And whiffs of a farmyard after the rain. This one takes water perfectly well! Mouth: hot, rich and very fruity, starting on loads of overripe oranges and notes of violet sweets and just a very faint bitter rubber – nothing unpleasant. Quite some liquorice too, orange liqueur… and more liquorice. With water: once again, it swims like Mark Spitz. Smoked orange liqueur (uh?), Darjeeling, nougat. Finish: long, with some soft spices (cumin?) and notes of orange cake like on the nose. Comments: very good, maybe just a tiny tad more, say sloppy than the 18.

Tasting note by Whiskyfun