Springbank 17 Year Madeira Wood

I've been holding off reviewing this over priced bottle for a bit but I guess it's time. 260 bucks and sub 48%. Oh my Nose - I always feel calm when I first nose a springbank and I get their classic every so salted and every so bready notes coming through. It's a warm place I know and hold dear and this one is no exception. We're at home folks. I then start looking for these some what sulfuric dirty sherry casks that they use and then something comes up, I'm getting something cleaner, sweeter, and not as complex. Yes I smell wine but it isn't MY springbank wine notes. It isn't even those umami driven burgundy casks or dark and dank dunnage port notes. No this is different. Crystalized sugars over a white mine, a very sweet and rich dessert one. I really don't know much about madeira by itself, but while I don't distinctly recognize it, it's still familiar just not in this context. The just a hair short of 18 years has left enough oak to be detected but hardly enough to really make itself known. As I dig in more some slight sour acidity comes through. Overall, while I'm not excited to get into this one, it's rich and complex and provides something different. Taste - Springbank's malt coming forward with a light and subtle yet noticeable wine finish. Up front while the wine casks aren't super over powering per say, they do over power the springbank malt pushing forward wine notes and some acidity but soon enough the peat and bready character of springbank pushes back and the rest of the experience is springbank's malt almost completely. What I however want on a good wood finished expression like this is the wood to play with the malt from start to finish, altering each stage and while it is ok from time to time to showcase the wood vs the malt, that should really only be when there's something spectacular about the casks which isn't the case here. Water does what it always does on springbank, adds more salt, gives it a bit more alcohol bite, but thins to body too much. Brings out some more oak spice. As big a springbank guy I am this is just overwhelmingly disappointing. 2.75 score from me, and this isn't one I'd want a backup of. I'd like to send myself a sample from the future to avoid buying the bottle all together. It's still good stuff but I'd rather have a springbank 10 given the price.

On the nose I get some berries, pound cake, a salted caramel, and generally a lot of influence from the wine. Palate is a little more all over the place, with some prune, dates, caramel, balsamic, and something a little herbal on the finish. Through that a light wisp of smoke persists in the background. The nose on this is great, and it's got a pretty nice, thick mouthfeel despite being "only" 48-ish abv. Reading reviews on it, it seems I like this more than most, although it I suspect the price influenced peoples' perception (although Local Barley costs just as much now...).

Perfect sweet smoky salty balance. Nose: Smoke, Sea Salt, Caramel, Raisins, Cherries, Sultanas, Pineapples, Raspberries, Strawberries, Iodine, Guava, Passion Fruit, Pineapples, Mangoes, Papaya, Almonds, Marshmallows, Dark Chocolate, Potato Chips Palate: Raisins, Pineapples, Mangoes, Papayas, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Leather, Tobacco, Grapefruits, Bananas, Honey Finish: Honey, Milk Chocolate, Strawberries, Pineapples, Dates, Raisins, Sultanas

Shit,strong. Ok, my version had a white(cream) label. Maybe different. Ok, then with water: peaty and salty not at all that fig taste of old(old old) Springbank.

N:Sweetish, licorice M: madeira is not my fav barrel, but this is okish. Sweet, not much peat.

Trying it is the only way!