Today is Springbank day at the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2016 and while nowadays  Springbank whiskies are cherished and loved by many whisky geeks (myself included), it’s a good opportunity to look back at a bit old version of Springbank 10 Year Old and see how its’ profile is vastly changed from the current familiar Springbank profile that encompass the entire current lineup.

The sample I tasted came from a miniature that is predating the current revision on the market and I believe it was bottled early 2000s or late 1990s.

Springbank 10 Year Old (46%)

Nose: Oh this is a bit unusual Springbank. Without sherry at all (so I think) and with a very farmy and malty profile. There’s a weak like smelling from far-away peat smoke, engines oil, honey, fields fertilizer, lemon and tangerines peels. After a while it gets dirtier with added citrus notes.

Palate: Still different but more in line with the current Springbank profile. Spicy with that dirty sweet peat, wafts of smoke and very very malty, Sweet honey, grass and oak wood spices.

Finish: Short medium length with sweet peat, farmy and pungent atmosphere, seaweed and dirtiness.

Thoughts: No sherry impact and extreme (comparing to current line up) farmy notes but it’s still a Springbank whisky, you can’t mistake it with the peat and Campbeltown dirtiness going on there. Is the newer (and current) expression on the market better than this one? There’s no definite answer as it depends on personal taste but yeah, I’d say I prefer the newer edition. Happy Springbank day!