Springbank Local Barley 8 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Other reviews... This baby was bottled last December and released in 2025. The barley, of course floor-malted at Springbank, came from High Ranachan farm, just down the road from the Wee Toon. One could hardly get more local than this. Colour: gold. Nose: oh lovely! At once a little ‘dirtier’ and more lemony than the 10 year old many of us adore, quite marked by paraffin, boot polish, pot ale… one could almost describe it as ‘a trifle feinty’ with a slightly soapy edge. But Springbank may well be the only malt that’s actually enhanced by these tiny soapy notes, if you see what I mean. Also fresh almonds and walnuts galore. With water: paint and ‘a Saturday morning at Ikea’. Or perhaps ‘a fresh parcel from Temu’. Mouth (neat): an outburst of pink and green peppercorns, plus an avalanche of citrus. The usual greasy and coastal elements are very much present too. With water: fewer developments this time, and one gets the impression that youth might be a slight drawback here. Finish: same feeling, perhaps a tad too rustic at this stage. Ginger ale, porridge, ink, pepper. Comments: just spotted it’s bere barley. 86 points - whiskyfun.com