Springbank 12 Calvados Wood Finish

Ever walk up an extinct volcano? Let me tell you, it’s a rough walk up Arthur’s Seat. A really rough walk up. Especially if you read the directions wrong and go up the “Radical path”, well known for good views from dizzying highs and tons of walking.

To say the least, when we were down the mountain, I was ready for a day of dramming in Edinburgh.

One of the first drams I ended up picking up was the Springbank 12 year Calvados Wood Finish. I enjoy different and unique finishes on whiskies, and the idea of Calvados, a French Apple brandy made in Lower Normandy, intrigues me. It makes sense that they would use that, as Normandy and Britain has such a colourful, shared history, yet this is the first time I’ve found this one.

In my ongoing want to fulfill requests, here’s another Campbeltown reviewed.

Price: N/A in Ontario

Region: Campbeltown

Abv: 52.7%

Colour: Greenish-Gold

Nose: Apple, pepper, pear, faint iodine, grass, caraway seeds, maple wood

Very fruity. Apple is the main thing I can smell, though my wife can’t get past the iodine. Understandably, she’s being such a saint about the whole walking up a mountain thing. Seems like it took 100 years.

Taste: Apple tart, burn, lime, sour green apple candy, Sambuca, spearmint, pepper, strawberry, rhubarb

More apples, and they seem to dominate. I’m starting to think that they shouldn’t have left this in the Calvados cask so long. Maybe I should have talked to the Two Peters at the bar and been a little less Dauphin about all this… I mean dopey.

Finish: Apple, mint, peach, smoke, mace, cinnamon

Smooth spice on this one compared to other whiskies that have a very prominent, strong spice in them. The apple is still present, and the typical Springbank peach taste finally slips in. Not too much complexity to this, as it’s no Battle of Agincourt or anything.

Too soon for 100 year war jokes/references?

Conclusion: An interesting experiment that I think produced a good whisky. The apple flavours as well as the light spice and smooth flavour certainly created an interesting, if one note whisky that you won’t find anywhere else. I don’t think it has improved or diminished on the Springbank 10, and as such will rate it about the same.

88/100

Scotch review #83, Campbeltown review #4, Whisky Network review #108