Here I am writing about Springbank again. Sorry not sorry.
I was barely whelmed by last year's Springbank 100° Proof. It seemed affa raw to me. Yes, it had the Campbeltown funk, it was a fresh, youthful Springer, but there was a jaggy core to it which I really could not see past.
Tonight I'm polishing off the last of the 2026 release of the same whisky, and, well, what a difference a year makes. Gone are the jaggies, leaving, Goldilocks style, not too much, not too little, but just enough of a kick to make this interesting.
There's a rich sweetness from American oak, and an interesting metallic note which I don't always see in Springbank. Tonight it's closer to copper than iron, and I'm definitely enjoying it. It's grassy too, reminding me of neighbour Glengyle, and there's something inky (or, I suppose, the mineral / metallic aspects of fountain pen ink). I'd guess that I'm not seeing the smoke which is there because I'm interpreting it as metallic or mineral, but that's ok, minerals more than make up for my perceived absence of peat.
There's also a juicy green thing, some kind of hundred proof Kintyre Kale Smoothie. I guess that'll be some sulphur compound or other, but who knows? Not that it matters, it's enough to say that it is very, very moreish.
So, well done to Springer for upping their game. Let's hope release three keeps up the momentum.
Conclusion? You should get one if you can, and good luck with that.
(note to self: stop writing about unobtainable whisky)