Review #796 - Springbank 5 Year 114 Proof

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

In 2025, in order to make their malt more accessible, Springbank introduced a '100 Proof' bottling with a feisty 5 year age statement. This follows the old Imperial Proof strength calculations, in which 100 proof equates to 57.1% ABV; indeed, that's the presentation that most of the world gets for this single malt.

However, here in the United States, because of the different definition of 'proof' in the labeling system, Springbank had to adjust their labels. Instead of 100 Proof and 57.1% ABV, we get a '114 Proof' bottling with a corresponding strength of 57.0% ABV. The age statement is still 5 years - these should essentially be identical bottlings, or as close as you can get with that 0.1% ABV difference.

The casks used in both the 100 Proof and 114 Proof releases are all ex-bourbon casks, and because of that young age at bottling, we should get a great view into the character of Springbank's lightly-peated distillate.

Springbank 5 Year 114 Proof

Scotland/Campbeltown - Single Malt

Price: USD 100 (2026)

Age Statement: 5 Years

Strength: 57.0% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2025

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 90% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Buttery and subtle to start, but it opens up to spirity mineral notes, lemon-lime soda, and lemon flesh. There's a soft peat influence, and it's quite effervescent; time brings a musty, mildly funky scent.

Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thick. Malty and fizzy, a bit spirity - it does taste young, but it isn't unpleasantly youthful. Bright fruits of apple and lemon and lime, even stone fruit, are combined with sweet grain. The peat is mild, and we get a nice creamy guava note on the back end.

Finish: Lemon-lime soda, soft drying oak, and a lot of vanilla. It leans a bit sweet now, and the buttery note from the nose returns; it's a medium length finish with hints of pepper spice.

Final Note: This is a solid entry from the Springbank brand - a bit youthful, but in a fun, vibrant way. Lots of bright fruit and some spirity notes, and we found the peat to be a bit mild on this one. We like that Springbank is becoming more available, at least in theory, and we're glad to see this release.

Value here in the US is just average, though, as this is still not easy to find, and the going price is high, around $100. As this becomes more available, and the price drops below that of the 10 year Springbank, we think value could improve.

Our Rating: 7.0 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 6.03

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
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