Springbank 12 Years Old 100° Proof Green Thistle 57% NV

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Serge Valentin (95)

Colour: amber.
Nose: holy cow! Er… excuse me… The first nosing reveals the expected mix of superb waxy and resinous notes with all sorts of dried fruits...

So, we have propolis, eucalyptus, tiger balm, mastic, almond milk, fermenting hay (I love these smells), old books (which I cherish as well), very old Calvados, mixed with coconut milk (almost Malibu, erm…), dates, dried figs, Smyrna raisins, cooked apples with cinnamon, mulled wine. Add to that maelstrom some whiffs of sea air and an added layer of pine resin and you should get the whole picture. Simply a thrill, as expected.

Mouth: how creamy, how bold and how elegant at the same time. Really punchy, starting on some bold liquorice, smoked tea, coconut liquor again (no name) and hints of gentian eau de vie, Suze… Lots of dried fruits such as bitter oranges, bananas, figs… And then the waxy cohort, with mastic and eucalyptus candies, fir tree honey, mint and liquorice sweets. Great hints of dry sherry, old rancio, sherry spirit, marc de Bourgogne.

The development is endless, with kind of a roughness that keeps it from getting a ‘simple’ digestive (or a Club malt). A perfect hipflask malt, to pour your very best friends after a long walk in the mountains. And the finish is endless, very waxy and nicely rummy (‘arranged’ rum?). Okay, enough maltoporn.