Here are the latest two releases in the Whiskyland series from Decadent Drinks. Both are similar to previous bottlings: Glen Grant 30 Year Old (a combination of a refill 1994 barrel with a refill 1995 barrel) and Springbank 30 Year Old. Been there, done that… boring…? (not)
Glen Grant 30 yo 1994 + 1995 (46,6%, Decadent Drinks ‘Whiskyland’ 2025, two refill barrels, 360 btl.)
Nose: plenty of waxy notes – great. Lemon tea with a dollop of honey, along with unripe nectarine, tangerines, green plums and hints of mango. Then light mineral hints and subtle dried herbs, as well as light vanilla. A bit of dusty apple and nice hints of jasmine tea and fresh linen. Very subtle butter biscuits underneath. Very elegant.
Mouth: nice pineapple and candied lemon, with more nectarines and greengages. More biscuits as well. Hints of sweet, green grapes and melon. Sansho leaves and spring honey, with minty undertones. Then plenty of waxy hints too, with candied ginger and chalky touches. The mineral side is slightly bigger than in previous releases – love that.
Finish: rather long, balancing citrus notes, minerals, gentle herbs and a salty edge.
A lovely release, due to the refreshing waxiness alongside bright citrus and plenty of vibrance after all these years. I’ve said it before, but Angus is a multi-vintage hero. Available from Decadent Drinks or retailers like The Whisky Exchange.
Springbank 30 yo 1994 (44,8%, Decadent Drinks ‘Whiskyland’ 2025, refill hogshead, 238 btl.)
Nose: a very clean example. Lots of lemons and lemon piths, gooseberries and fresh fabrics, alongside velvety notes and nice candle wax. Some seaweed and ginseng. Later also hints of parsley and celeriac. Then back to mild petrol. There’s some unripe tropical fruit, but very much in the background.
Mouth: a kind of bittersweet mix of apples, grapefruits, bergamot and lime, but also hints of yellow kiwi and lychee (not a combination we see often). Then chilli pepper, lemon grass, all kinds of herbal oils and ointments. A nice degree of coastal and medicinal austerity coupled to more seductive fruits, alongside camphor, tonic water and oriental tea.
Finish: long, with slightly sweeter fruits now, some leafy / vegetal notes again, and modest mineral smoke.
One of the pure and distillate-driven Springbanks from Decadent Drinks, after a few sherry-forward releases. This combination of slightly exotic fruits with the typical mineral notes is stunning. Available from Decadent Drinks or retailers like The Whisky Exchange. Score: 92/100