Review: Cadenheads Campbeltown (Springbank) 56.2%

I think its important to treat others exactly how you would expect to be treated. This means answering whisky distress calls for a specific bottle, a donation for a charity auction or even taking time out to show visitors to Scotland a distillery or two. In this case I had the pleasure of taking the freewheeling cartwheeling Linh and Alex on the road for a day.

It is easy to take the beauty of Scotland for granted and those things as locals we experience everyday. By becoming a tour guide for a few hours I broaden my own knowledge, appreciate my surroundings a little more and get to visit some of my favourite distilleries; who can argue with that?

So our day consisted of 2 very overlooked distilleries in the form of Deanston and Daftmill the 'Scotch block' of whisky producers as Linh referred to it. A great day unfolded followed by homemade cake and a cuppa before going our own way. As a thank you I received this half bottle from one of the living casks at the Cadenhead Edinburgh shop. Ah, a good choice and great value for money.     

This cask delivered one of my malt favourites of 2015 so far with a delightfully chewy Campbeltown. I've gone back to the cask twice since and as they are constantly refilled and topped up hence the living cask idea. Sadly that extra thick characteristic is sadly missing for now. Yet what remains is below.

Distillery: It's Campbeltown so I know the contents are Springbank
Age: No Age Statement
Strength: 56.2% vol
Price: various sizes available prices ranging from £14-£45

Colour: maize

Nose: a solid aroma experience with melted butter, wild heather and the classic Refreshers sweetie. More familiar notes with black pepper and almost oranges but there's more sharpness with sweetness taking me back to Jaffa Cakes. Then a freshly cut hay bale and oddly a plasticine finish. 

Taste: most subtle than my last foray into the living cask, lacking that wonderful chewy texture. This is lighter, fresher and needs a touch of water. Red berries, apricots, rolled oats and a salty edge making for a solid dramming experience.

Did I mention the surprise bottle that appeared later that week from these two grateful American whisky raiders? Well, it is a Jura...