Springbank 21yo 2026 Release

Springbank 21yo 2026 Release

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £273.00 

Released in August 2026, this 21-year-old Springbank single malt was matured in a combination of 65% Port, 25% bourbon, 5% rum and 5% sherry casks. There's no mention of the number of bottles released.

Nose

Palate

The palate opens with zingy strawberry and raspberry, fresh dirt, ground ginger, butterscotch, lemon juice and a little anise. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than we'd like, it's not as oily as we'd hoped, but there's a good amount of flavour and the finish lingers for a decent length, mostly old oak and citrus. Like the nose, the peat smoke is quite aggressive, more upfront earthy dirt and a lingering acidic smoke. There's more vanilla and toffee notes as you go back for subsequent sips. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has all of the same red fruits, all cooked down into a jam, as well as that industrial note, and a little more buttery vanilla, sponge-cake like aromas. It feels like the aromas have melded together a bit more, not necessarily more balanced but there's less individual notes jumping out at us.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has less fruit, more dirt, smoke and a little cask char too. There's still a lot of sweetness, and a fair bit of lemon citrus, but it maintains a very similar profile to pre-dilution. 

Conclusion

The 65% port is definitely noticeable in this year's 21 year old release. The peat is also quite punchy on both the nose and the palate. It's unmistakable Springbank, but perhaps less refined than you'd expect for a 21 year old release. Great quality whisky as usual from Springbank.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

The price has increased a little bit over the years, but it still feels reasonable for such a limited whisky.

• 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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