Springbank 5 Year Old 100 Proof & Kilkerran 16yo (2025 Release)

Springbank 5 Year Old 100 Proof

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 57.1%

Price: £48.00

Fully matured in bourbon casks and bottled in 2025 at 100 proof, this new core range release is non chill filtered with no added colour. It is planned as a quarterly small batch release rather than a one off, with no official outturn given. 

Nose

The nose opens with lemon balm, fondant icing, almond butter, wet leaves, coriander seed, mint leaf and paint remover. It’s quite an expressive nose, and there’s a fair amount of cask influence that covers up the youthful spirit notes making this appear older than it is. Time and air brings out more earthiness, dunnagey notes, wet bung cloth, and plain white bread. The alcohol is fairly well balanced too, there’s no overt pepperiness or bite as we get deep into the glass. 

Palate

The palate open with freshly squeezed lime, more wet leaves, kefir lime leaf, basil oil, simple sugar syrup, some lightly roasted coffee beans and fizzy sherbet. It’s a nice mix of sweet and sour with some coastal sea breeze and an earthy, vegetal peat smoke sitting in the background. The mouthfeel is nice, it’s got a sugar syrup-like texture, and there’s more white peppercorns and raw ginger coming through on the finish. The alcohol is a bit more apparent than it was on the nose, however it works well with the overall flavours coming through. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has a muddier feel, more earthy, vegetal, leafy, peaty aromas coming through. There’s some musty dunnage character too alongside a little orchard fruits, but the cask sweetness has faded into the background. 

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has more sweet citrus upfront, moving into the musty, vegetal, earthiness as the palate develops. Not too much has changed, although we think it doesn’t really need any water. 

Conclusion

Springbank in good bourbon wood, what’s not to love. We’ve had a few younger cage bottles in bourbon and this knocks them out of the park. A well put together release that showcases the classic Campbeltown character in a more youthful light, but keeps the complexity and intrigue we enjoy.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

High ABV and sub-£50, we can’t complain at all.

Kilkerran 16yo (2025 Release)

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 46.0%

Price: £75.99

The 2025 release of Kilkerran 16 is a vatting consisting of 40% Sherry, and 60% Bourbon casks.

Nose

The nose opens with walnut cake, blackcurrant jam, salt water, warehouse must, fallen leaves, cola cubes and date syrup. It’s got a lightness to it, it’s not overly intense, but there are still lots of aromas that are easily detectable. It’s a real mix of rich sherry and vegetation, a little tobacco, quite interesting and well integrated - we’re still getting the Kilkerran spirit through the heavier sherry influence. 

Palate

The palate opens with mixed berry jam, cocoa powder, date puree, cherry coulis, wet earth and some Red Kola too. The mouthfeel is a little thin, but the finish does stick around - a mixture of earthiness and freshly crushed raspberries. Time and air brings out Caramac chocolate, raisin fudge and blackcurrant cordial. The alcohol is mellow, very little spice coming through at all. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose is full of dark berries, mild baking spices and a handful of cola bottles. The mustiness is also there, damp, dark dunnage warehouses. Not too much of a change from the pre-diluted nose. 

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has more chocolate and cherry upfront, blackcurrant, and a little ground coffee too. Again it feel a bit thin and flat compared to other Kilkerran 16’s, but there’s still a good amount of balance and flavour coming through. 

Conclusion

A perfectly pleasant Kilkerran, but it feels dialled down a bit. The sherry influence in this release is well balanced and you can still get the spirit alongside it, but we can’t help think that the 100% bourbon releases work better with the spirit. Saying that, we’d happily have a dram, it’s a solid whisky.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

As usual good value for a 16yo Campeltown malt, you can’t go wrong.

• 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.

If you like what you’ve read then check out our social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to get notifications of when we post a new review or just to chat about whisky with us.