Whisky Live Germany is taking place in Hamburg this weekend, more info here.
For this occasion Kirsch Import is releasing a new Awakening series. It spans different brands that Kirsch is representing, like Raasay, Kilchoman, Berrys Bros and Kanosuke. All of them provide a special bottling for this series.
There’s also this 20 year old Springbank in the Best Dram range.
Springbank 20 yo (54,6%, Best Dram ‘Awakening series’ for Kirsch Import 2025, first-fill Oloroso sherry hogshead, 107 btl.)
Nose: nice sherry, for sure. A lot of juicy cherries and raspberries, along with orange peels, roasted walnuts and hints of potting soil. The smokiness is quite subdued, but that’s not a problem for me. Some marmalade, a little concrete dust, linseed, oil paint and leather. Then also pipe tobacco and prunes, along with some antique furniture.
Mouth: pretty high on stewed fruits again, including a light balsamic touch. Nice prunes, redcurrants and cherries. Then also the more industrial notes like oily rags, some boot polish, diesel and old leather. A little chocolate and thick marmalade. Faded smoke in the background, as well as some very faint medicinal notes and beautiful tobacco.
Finish: really long, still nicely sherried, with old smoke, drops of cough syrup and engine fumes.
This is a very rich and fairly fruity Springbank, with a perfect sherry influence. It’s not the most industrial or beefy version, but this is pretty much the profile I’m looking for. Excellent, simply excellent.