Springbank 24 Year (1999) Westie Sponge Edition No. 3
Review by: zSolaris
Distillery: Springbank.
Bottler: WhiskySponge Westie Sponge.
Region: Campbeltown.
Age: 24 year, distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2024.
ABV: 54.5%. Cask Strength.
Cask Type: First fill sherry butt.
Price: Sample courtesy of /u/_asipper.
Color: 1.9, Brown Sherry.
Nose: The nose here is rather complex. It started off as being quite smokey when I first poured it but a lot of that drifted off with time. There is still some smoke but a rather background level amount rather than being front and center. You get notes of very old wood that’s been absolutely soaked in sherry. It is really nutty with roasted cashews coming to mind. There are some citrusy notes that remind me a lot of orange bitters. Along with all of that, there is every now and again there is a fleeting umami note that reminds me of Worcestershire sauce but it is rather infrequent.
Palate: It is a lot more straightforward the the nose with old sherry and a little bit of smokey savory notes. It’s almost like drinking something smoked with mesquite and then washing it down with sherry. Nice, but on the simpler end of things for me. Adding some water makes it even simpler somehow as well.
Finish: Medium in length. More of the same from the palate.
Conclusion: When something comes with a price tag like the one this (I believe the bottle price was around $1,000), there comes a certain level of expectation. Unfortunately for me, this Springbank bottling from Whisky WestieSponge does not come close to meeting that standard. The nose gets us off to a really good start, its complex, its inviting, it makes you want to sit there and just really dig into it. I loved the nuttiness mixed with citrus and sherry along with some smoke. That hit of Worcestershire sauce is intoxicating and really fun. The palate and finish however, are rather simple. A bit of old sherry. A bit of something smoked. Done. It is tasty but it needed to be a whole lot more than just tasty.
Rating: 84
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
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