Springbank 10yo Sherry Wood Amontillado

Springbank 10yo Sherry Wood Amontillado

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 55.0%

Price: £91.95 

This bottling is the third release in the distillery’s five-part Sherry Series. Distilled in July 2014, the casks underwent an initial five-year maturation in refill bourbon barrels, followed by an additional five years in fresh Amontillado sherry hogsheads, before being bottled in September 2024. This limited release consists of 9,900 bottles.

Nose

On the nose, initial notes include Seville orange marmalade, pipe tobacco, candy necklaces, Roses lime cordial, and a hint of proving bread dough. With time in the glass, additional aromas of pistachios, ginger jam, cooking apples, and saltwater emerge. There’s less sherry influence than expected and not much that distinctly identifies it as Springbank.

Palate

On the palate, initial notes of honey, orange juice, grapefruit, and dried earth come through. These are followed by a sweet chilli spice on a good-length finish. There’s a hint of bitterness, and blood orange might better describe the citrus note than regular orange. Additional flavour’s of gingerbread, leather, and a touch of treacle emerge with air. The mouthfeel is good, with a slight oiliness. There’s more of the classic Springbank character on the palate than on the nose, and again, the sherry influence is less pronounced than anticipated.

Nose (with water)

With reduction, more of the Campbeltown character emerges, along with enhanced sherry notes such as prunes and reduced raisins. Additional flavour’s of milk chocolate, Tizer, and beef Bovril also come through. With some time to breathe, hints of vanilla essence, marshmallows, and a touch of woodiness—likely from the original bourbon cask maturation—begin to appear.

Palate (with water)

With water, the chilli spice and bitterness are reduced, but unfortunately, some of the other notes we enjoyed are also subdued. The mouthfeel remains slightly oily, and the finish still has a good length. That said, there’s enough flavour with water that we’d likely recommend diluting.

Conclusion

The third release in the “Sherry Wood” series is a solid addition, but it’s definitely not our favourite. There are some interesting aromas and flavours, but we were hoping for more pronounced Springbank character or greater influence from the sherry casks. That said, there’s enough here to merit a score of 7.5.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

We can pretty much copy and paste our thoughts on last year’s release. It’s a bit pricey for a 10-year-old compared to the distillery’s other offerings. That said, the chances of getting this at RRP are slim, and while it’s a good whisky, it’s definitely not worth the inflated auction prices.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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