Springbank

Springbank is one of the three distilleries in Campbeltown which are still in operations. Campbeltown used to claim as "The Capital of the Whisky World". Unfortunately, the whisky industry of this Capital was collapsing in 1930s and never resumes its golden age. In the following few decades there are only two distilleries survived , the Springbank and Glen Scotia, but until recently a reinstated distillery Glengyle joins the gang.

Though the situation of the whisky industry looks withered in Campbeltown, it does not mean the reputation of survivors being faded. In fact, for example of Springbank, its malt whisky is quite demanding and very expensive, especially those aged and old bottlings.

Springbank was established in 1800s by Archibald and Hugh the Mitchell brothers.  Nowadays, Springbank is operating under the Springbank Distillers Ltd. but it is still owned by the Mitchell family. Springbank is one of  very few left distilleries still owned by the founder family.

Despite of the high price and demanding of Springbank whisky that the prospect looks good, the reality that it was planned to shutdown in 2008 due to the bad economy. It however resumed limited production in 2009 and now its operation is fully resumed.

As aforesaid Springbank's whisky is very expensive, the reason behind is a sad story. Springbank is highly praised by many connoisseurs and obviously its whisky shall be demanding but the fact that Springbank experienced several shutdowns and reductions of operation over the years that results in the supply, especially those aged casks, always at low stock level, where hardly meets the demand from the market which eventually it results in the high price of Springbank whisky.

I am unable to afford  for old Springbank but to basic bottling. It is rather a good choice for meeting one of very few last standing distilleries in Campbeltown.

Springbank 10 years, 700 ml, 46%

Nose: Nectar, peer, nuts, baked grain, lightly sea breeze

Palate: Honey, apple, nuts, dark chocolate, clove, sea salt

Aftertaste: Medium length, maltose, nut shell, sea water

Overall: Light on nose, peer aroma released with water. Full body, oily, much fruity with water. Good aftertaste, sweet and nice. It is a bit simple and lesser complexity but good balanced of favours, a comfortable dram. Though it is just a 10 years old basic bottling, it is bottled at ABV 46% rather than common 40 and 43% by most distilleries. Springbank remains the floor malting process which is considering of high cost but low efficiency and almost faded out from the industry. I quoted these two pieces of information just to admire the sincerity of Springbank in whisky making. Working hard in good faith does not guarantee the success but it must be an essential element in those success stories.

What a Rare New Make Spirit

As in the whisky launch party mentioned in my previous article "My Desirable  Laphroaig 18 years old", the host exhibited a bottle of new make spirit from Laphroaig which is the double distilled alcohol having been watered down being readiness for barrel aging. The brand ambassador did not mention this new make spirit at all throughout his presentation, let lone offering tasting. Since new make spirit is hardly to find, I won't miss such a good opportunity to taste it. I caught the ambassador who wore in the Scottish kilt for asking a try. He reluctantly poured me some and diluted with water for  nosing and remind me that such thing won't be pleasant on palate. He told me about the characteristics of the new make and I did express my appreciation to his kindness in return. I was by no mean satisfied for just nosing the new make. Such a golden opportunity I definitely won't let it goes. I took sufficient sample for detail tasting while he walked away.

Laphroaig New Make Spirit, 29/1/2011, 700 ml, 63.5%

Nose: Hawthorn, sour mash, yogurt, lightly peaty
Palate: Nectar, malty sweet, rock sugar, slight peat
Aftertaste: Medium length, malty, milky
Overall: It is not a pleasant drink at all. The ambassador didn't cheat me. It was, however, regarded as an unusual but a good tasting experience. It is interesting that there was just a touch of peat in the new make which far from my anticipation. I won't score this new make as it is not an official release of alcoholic drink. Dare to try again on such odd thing? Yes, love to, so far as I am a well-known oddity.

My Desirable Laphroaig 18 Years Old

Laphroaig 18 years old is always on my wish list. Although this bottling has been available in Hong Kong markets for years and hanging a fairly reasonable price tag, I am just not bought it or have chance to taste it thus far, what a strange! Few weeks ago a friend of mine brought me to a whisky launch party for Laphroaig and Teacher's Origin. I found that Laphroaig 18 years old was on the tasting list. What a pleasure I have opportunity to taste my favor for free.

Laphroaig 18 years, 700 ml, 48%

Nose: Pearlike stone fruit, nutty, iodine, smokey, sea breeze, vanilla

Palate: Nectar, melon peel, iodine, brine, smoking oyster, charcoal, ashy, vanilla

Aftertaste: Long, sea water, nutty, mint

Overall: Not much peaty on nose, good balance among fruit, iodine and smoke, good but not outstanding especially to an 18 years old whisky. Strong body, main theme is smoky ash and sea water. Moderate iodine, layered and complex on palate, excellent. The main favours last to lengthy aftertaste with echo of mint. This bottling is lesser the iodine favour than the 10 years old. Though it is bottled at a higher alcohol level of ABV 48%, it is not as violently as to the lower strength 10 years old at  ABV 40% or 43%. This 18 years old bottling majors in coastal favour, backed with smoky and featured with iodine. Good performance on nose but not really intense as my expected to an 18 years old whisky ought to be despite that it can be said of elegance. I personally prefer this Laphroaig being wild as if the young 10 years old and with complexity from the aging but notwithstanding that it is an outstanding whisky without a doubt

Sound of Islay

The name of Caol Ila means "Sound of Islay" in Gaelic. Caol Ila was built in 1846 and is now owned by Diaego. It is a member of Classic Malts of Diageo. Caol Ila is one of the highest output distilleries among Diageo group attributed by its annual production in pure alcohol count of 3,700,000 liters. Caol Ila is also ranked the top in production capacity on Islay.

As most of the output of Caol Ila goes to blended whiskies and obviously, the flagship blends of Diageo, Johnnie Walker that the single malt bottlings are uncommon in the market. Let's try a Caol Ila's basic bottling as an introduction to this distillery.

Caol Ila 12 years, 1 ltr., 43%

Nose: Honeydew peel, oyster, metal, sea weed, sea breeze, hints of vanilla and honey
Palate: Honeydew, nutty, clam, charcoal, sea water
Aftertaste: Medium length, charcoal, sea water
Overall: Imagine that you are standing in front of an oyster stall by the shore and watching the fishermen opening oysters with metal dagger, yes, exactly that smell if you were there. Take a dram, just feel like a pot of clam soup cooking over pit fire. Light and soft ocean elements continue in aftertaste. This whisky is not the islander which is emphasized in peat and smoke but rather trended to coastal favour. It is not a complex and layered whisky but shows softness in every aspect. It is an easy-going island dram indeed.

In the fact that the majority of stocks of Caol Ila are not ageing in the local warehouse. New spirit is filled in stainless tank and transported to the warehouse in mainland of Scotland for ageing. Caol Ila's coastal favour is coming from the raw materials such as peated malt and water sources, rather than its island counterparts which favoured by immersion of sea breeze during the ageing by the sea.
   

Premium Jim Beam

Although US Bourbon is not a mainstream whisky in Hong Kong market, Jim Beam’s Original and Black labels are nevertheless well-known to most connoisseurs. However, most connoisseurs look down upon this whiskey and treat it as an ingredients for cocktails or just “spending” it on the rocks, let alone those “Whisky Hipsters” who do even despise it.

I did taste its Black label previously and thought it being a good bourbon. Perhaps I am nothing more than an ordinary consumer which does not have any burden of hipsters. I can drink what I like drink and I can freely express my true feelings.

Now Back to the Jim Beam topic. In additions to famous Original and Black labels, they have a small batch series which was introduced by late Mr. Booker Noe, the six generation of the Beam family. There are four bottlings in this series and positioned at premium bourbon. They are produced in small batch and have their own characteristic amongst each bottlings. The small batch one I am going to introduce is fairly easily seen in Hong Kong and normally selling for reasonable price.

Knob Creek 9 years, 750 ml, 50%

Knob Creek lies 20 miles south of Jim Beam distillery. This river streams via the childhood residence of US President Abraham Lincoln. This bourbon is aged in barrel for 9 years which can be regarded as oldies in bourbon family. It is bottled at high proof of ABV 50% and packing in good old day favor and claimed to reproduce the style before the Prohibition.

Nose:
Honey, coconut, banana, caramel, marmalade, spicy

Palate:
Coconut, toast, caramel, cinnamon

Aftertaste:
Medium length, coffee, nutty, oaky


Conclusion:
On nose it is condense but not overwhelm, quite aromatic. Thick body, not complex but harmony, a comfortable dram. Fairly balanced bitterness in aftertaste, chewable. It is a big but not heavy whiskey. Conclusively to say, it is of the type of sweetie, easy drinking, thick, balancing with reasonably pricing bourbon, a good whiskey indeed. A true connoisseur should not have any preconception on tasting. Good whiskies should not be labeled by merely the price tag, age statement, rarity or trend (Japanese premium whiskies are now hot in Hong Kong). Open your mind to taste the whiskies from all over the world and judge only by your sensation. You will soon find your territory of whisky world getting bigger and bigger.

Hakushu the Twelve

Hakushu was built in 1973 by Suntory which is her owned second distillery. Hakushu is situated in the fairy forest of Mountain Southern Alps of Yamanashi. Hakushu whiskies are occasionally seen at some specialist liquor shops in Hong Kong and labeled high price tags. I am now going to introduce a Hakushu basic level bottling. Sample was given by a friend of mine, thank you. Sample volume about 50ml, sampled twice.

Hakushu 12 years, 700 ml, 43%, sample ~50 ml

Nose:
Honey, mandarins, dried date, lightly smoky

Palate:
Oily, preserved fruits, coffee, nuts (not me), smoky, mint

Aftertaste:
Medium length, dark coffee, chocolate, roasted wood

Overall:
Good note, fruity and honey paring with little bit smoky in good balance. Oily in mouth, smooth, sweetie preserved fruits accompanying with roasted coffee, amazing. Comfortable aftertaste that little bit chocolate echoes by soft woody bitterness. Although the recent price level of Japanese whiskies has been dropped slightly, those whiskies are not really price justified in my opinion.