Review #834 - Springbank 10 Year (2023)

Springbank's most commonly found bottle - this 10 year old single malt - still isn't easy to find these days due to the relatively small production from the distillery, paired with the popularity of their product. This seems to be improving slowly with the whisky slowdown that we've seen over the past year or two; 3 or 4 times a year, now, we happen upon a bottle like this on a store shelf.

Generally, batches of Springbank's 10 Year are a mixture of ex-bourbon maturation and ex-sherry maturation. This specific batch is 60% bourbon and 40% sherry, which is a pretty typical ratio for the two types in this product. After the 10 years of aging, the distillery bottles this single malt at a strength of 46% ABV, and we know there's no added color or chill filtration used in the bottling process.

The last batch of Springbank 10 that we looked at was a fruity, spicy delight - let's see how this 2023 batch shapes up.

Springbank 10 Year (2023)

Scotland/Campbeltown - Single Malt

Price: USD 85 (2025)

Age Statement: 10 Years

Strength: 46% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and sherry casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled February 6, 2023

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 8 months; bottles at 100%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Nice spirit character, well balanced - we get minerals and malt, some musty or damp funk, as well as very soft peat smoke. Licorice brings some spice, while sweetness comes from creamy fruits like honeydew melon, guava, and lemon. There are even more accent scents: earthy petrichor, charcoal, hay, honey, and a lactic note.

Palate: The mouthfeel has a medium thickness. Papaya and creamy guava, peaches and pineapple, nectarine - tons of bright, sweet, tangy fruits lead the way. The fizzy peat smoke is softer, maybe building to a medium influence; slate, wood char, wet pavement, and licorice add interesting dimensions. Candied mango and star fruit add more fruity flavors, and we also find cinnamon and vanilla at times.

Finish: Tangy with peaches, more honeydew and guava, more melons and some banana - a true bouquet of light fruit. Honey, dried grass, malty grain, and vanilla are accented by mineral notes; it's a medium-long finish.

Final Note: The level of complexity in this humble 10 year old single malt is honestly hard to believe sometimes - it beats out just about every other core range single malt in this age bracket, as far as we're concerned. A perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, funky and bright; lots of fruits, baking notes, coastal character, and a bit of smoke. The balance is excellent, maybe leaning just a tiny bit toward the sweet side of things; overall, though, this is just a great single malt from Springbank, a true classic.

Now, onto value - in our opinion, if you can find this bottle for under $100 (or the equivalent in your currency), just buy it. 'Nuff said.

Our Rating: 8.0 / 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: 7.28

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.