Springbank 21 Batch 9 (That Boutique-y Whisky Co.)

Bottled in 2018 Batch #9. Bottle 77 of 398. Unless you are a sex enthusiast, if you are an enthusiast of anything else, you are going to encounter something better than sex. As an enthusiast of fine spirits, I am in constant danger of finding that tipple that might be better than sex. I am in constant danger of being offered sex, and telling my wife, “Uh, can we have that Springbank from That Boutique-y Whisky Company instead?” When you combine one the world’s best distilleries with one of the world’s best independent bottlers, you are threatening marriages! Can any man or woman have the charm of a Brora from the late 70s; a farmhouse funk side-by-side with fresh roses; a farm animal must side-by-side with freshly picked berries; a sooty smoke from a lineseed oil mill side-by-side with candied oranges and papayas? Can any man or woman taste as seductive being fat, leathery, and dirty? Porridge with walnut oil and honey. Marmalade with orange peels, cacao, and grass. There are no misplaced notes. Is this a divine creation? Eve’s rib. Or a Satanic trick? Forbidden fruits matured in staves made from the tree of knowledge? To take the devil’s side: there will be more opportunities to have sex than to try this whisky. This is especially true in the U.S. markets, where bottles from TBWC are limited to 375 mL rather than 500 mL. If you get your hands, nose, lips, and tongue on this liquid, sex can wait. And after the experience, you can tell your man or woman, “Please step up your sex game. This whisky is the new standard.” Score: **** (better than sex) How much does a bottle cost: $250-300 for 375 mL (half bottle) How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $300 for half bottle

Tried 2 different batches at a Boutique-y Whisky Company tasting. Batch 9 aged in Madeira Casks, Batch 4 aged in Port Casks. The Madeira Cask one has bright and bold flavors of vanilla, raisins, sultanas, floral, fruity, pepper, and toffee. The Port Cask one is dark and rich with notes of raisins, sultanas, chocolate, berries, toffee, vanilla, pepper, and a delicate smoky finish.