Springbank 1977 GO-DD25 Year Old Bot.2002

n case you don’t know, SCOMA is a legendary and very influential whisky shop in Germany that was responsible for importing many great and important names (including Springbank and Cadenhead) back in the era before single malt enthusiasm was widespread. Indeed, you could argue they played a pivotal role in European whisky enthusiasm.

Colour: deep gold.

Nose: it’s certainly one of these more ‘left-field’ Springbank 1977 GO-DD25 Year Old Bot.2002 Lots of flinty notes, mineral oil, graphite, ink and stewed fruits like sultana and prune. It evolves more along this profile with more earthiness, leaf mulch, tobacco, gun oil and hints of various brown breads and dark grains. It’s definitely getting more recognisably ‘Springbanky’ with time. With water: dried mint, ink, miso, umami broths, animal furs, turmeric, dried flowers, waxes. Quite complex and individualistic. Mouth: nice arrival, very clean but quite punchy and powerful. Very bready, earthy, mineral and slightly gamey and saline. Salted almonds, game salami, rye bread, dried tarragon, mineral oil and coal dust. A fascinating ‘teeter’ between weird early 90s and more the assertive, classical style they were transitioning to at the time. Springbank 1977 GO-DD25 Year Old Bot.2002

Also, it should be noted, this is a very good sherry cask. With water: beautifully complex and ‘broad’ now. Mushrooms, wild herbs, flowers, nuts, breads and more mineral, medical and rather emphatic oily things like camphor, vapour rubs and herbal cough medicines. Really vibrant and superbly fresh now. Finish: long, wonderfully mineral, nutty, saline, oily, herbal and medical. Extremely Springbanky and brilliantly fresh and complex. Springbank 1977 GO-DD25 Year Old Bot.2002

It’s like we began in 1973 and ended up at 1995 within the space of the same whisky. Terrific and fascinating distillate in a top notch sherry cask. I’m very happy SCOMA could find such a fun and enjoyable wee glory for their 40th! Great selection folks.