Review | Springbank 5 Years Old 100° Proof

This is a new whisky from the iconic Campbeltown distillery of Springbank. It is a reimagining of a retro bottling that disappeared from the core range in the 1990s. This first batch has been fully matured in ex-bourbon casks and will be a permanent product.

A new batch is scheduled to be released every three months. It will sit alongside further age statements at 10-, 15- and 18 Years Old, plus the 12 Years Old Cask Strength. Other limited recurring bottlings include 21-, 25- and 30 Year Olds, and the cult favourite Local Barley.

The Springbank distillery is located in the town of Campbeltown at the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the west Highland coast of Scotland. It is the oldest Scottish whisky distillery to be continuously family owned. The Mitchell family purchased it in 1837. However, it was founded in 1828 by the Reid family. Springbank remains owned by J&A Mitchell and Sons. They also own the nearby Glengyle distillery and Cadenhead’s independent bottlers.

Springbank currently operates at around 150,000 litres per year. It is one of very few distilleries to undertake all traditional steps of the whisky production process on one site. This includes peating, malting, distillation, maturation and bottling. Springbank forms much of the annual production but they also make heavily peated Longrow and triple distilled Hazelburn for shorter periods each year.

The Springbank 5 Years Old 100° Proof is bottled at the natural cask strength of 57.1% ABV. It is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is available from today (August 21) in selected specialist whisky retailers in the UK. wider world distribution is expected in time. A bottle will cost £48.

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Our Tasting Notes

The colour is pale bright gold and the nose is bright, vibrant and uplifting. It feels fresh and full of confected sweetness – think of icing sugar, white chocolate and vanilla shortbread with a hint of pink marshmallow, popping candy and nougat. There is a savoury and leafy undertone (imagine raspberry leaf tea and green tea). A dusty, peppery and ashy peat smoke is also evident, as is a faint hint of lemon zest.

On the palate this whisky is bold, peppery and youthful. The peat smoke seems more dominant than in older expressions of Springbank. This has a sweet yet ashy and slightly earthy feel with a hint of salty and flinty minerality. It is reminiscent of fire pit embers. Then comes the sweetness – think of spun sugar, Royal icing and white chocolate. This is followed by delicious notes of lemon meringue pie, creamy toffee and butterscotch.

With time the whisky feels thicker, becoming softer and creamier. Silky vanilla cream and oatmeal cookies are accentuated by hints of dessicated coconut, tropical fruit (especially banana and mango) and ripe yellow plum. Then come warming baking spices, esp cinnamon and clove, with white pepper and freshly sawn oak appearing towards the finish.

The finish is long and lingering with plenty of peppery heat and spice. The peat smoke threatens to dominate but just holds itself in check. The whisky takes water well and becomes more creamy and soft with the vanilla and lemony zest shining brightest. White oak shavings and fresh baked gingerbread sit in the background.

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What’s The Verdict?

This is a delicious new whisky from Springbank and one that will some way to alleviating the current thirst for the brand. We like that it is a core product and is pitched at a decent price. Yes, it is youthful and has the characteristics associated with such a whisky, but this also makes it accessible for a wider audience.

While very nice taken neat, adding water seems to really free up the 5 Years Old 100° Proof and let it shine. Often Springbank is revered for its older age statements, but it feels like a treat to taste something so good at a younger age.