And then there was another Local Barley from Springbank. Yes, I know this isn’t news and the Springbank 11 Years Local Barley was released a few months ago. But they were initially supposed to stop after five releases, and I’m kind of losing track. Let’s see what we’ve had so far:
- Springbank 16yo Local Barley (2016)
- Springbank 11yo Local Barley (2017)
- Springbank 10yo Local Barley (2017)
- Springbank 9yo Local Barley (2018)
- Springbank 10yo Local Barley (2019)
- Springbank 10yo Local Barley Oloroso Sherry (2020)
- Springbank 10yo Local Barley (2021)
That makes this the eighth release of the modern era (not counting any Society or cage bottlings). And I expect them to keep going, as the Local Barley series is hugely successful. And honestly, I hope they keep going because the quality of these has been excellent. No matter the (online) critique on pricing because they’re young, there aren’t many better whiskies available at this price point either.
The latest addition to the Local Barley range brings something new to the table. Not the barley variety. We’ve seen Belgravia, a modern breed, before. Also not the farm, because Glencraigs also supplied the barley for the Oloroso release from a few years ago. Instead, it’s the inclusion of 10% rum casks that we’ve not seen before. The other 90% is made up from 35% bourbon and 55% sherry.
Springbank 11 Years Local Barley (55.1%, OB, 2022)
Nose: Touches of ozone and wet pebbles with fruity layers of tinned pineapple, nectarine and peach. There’s some soft smoke, gauze, and just a hint of thyme, maybe even some rhubarb, to balance out the sweeter fruits. Finally just a whiff of nougat.
Taste: A nice oily mouthfeel with plaster, charred lemons and a lovely salinity. Touches of burlap, damp oak and tobacco, but also a decent leafiness. Also some summer fruits and touches of rubber.
Finish: Long. Salty, sweet fruits, and rich with minerals. Delicious.
Photo: Whic.de
