Springbank 5 Year Old is the youngest release in the core range. It is a reimagining of a retro bottling from the 1980s. While most distilleries have recently launched a slightly younger version of their cornerstone malts, Springbank leaves quite a big gap between the current 10 Year Old and this 5 Year Old.
A new batch of this whisky is scheduled to be released every three months, so it should be more readily available than other expressions from this distillery.
Springbank 5 yo – 100 Proof (57,1%, OB 2026, bourbon casks)
Nose: plenty of barley and bread, with brine and minerals coming out first. Then some new canvas and hay, as well as wet pebblestones. Green apples and lemons, later also a hint of unripe pineapple. Also raw wool, some gorse and a bit of vanilla. It’s a little less funky and less intense than some of the older core range expressions, with a bit more sweetness, but it’s also nicely vibrant.
Mouth: more intense now. The typical oiliness is already here (linseed?), as is the slightly industrial hint of motor oil, brassware polish and ashy smoke. Then vanilla (slightly more than expected), pear and melon, along with slightly bitter orange peels, ginger and a dash of tonic water. Some greener hint (tomato stems), floral hints and white pepper, as well as a pinch of salt.
Finish: medium to long. There’s white pepper and lemon peelings, with chalky hints and draff.
Clearly young but probably the most naked, intense expression of the Springbank DNA. However if you’re looking for the best introduction, I would still recommend the 10 Years (better balance, lower ABV). Available from Master of Malt for instance.