Review #884 - Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength Batch 23 (2021)

Springbank generally releases about two batches of their 12 Year Cask Strength single malt each year; here we have Batch 23, which arrived back in the second half of 2021. This was supposedly the first 12 CS batch to use exclusively ex-bourbon casks, and because that should give us a good view into the true character of Springbank's famous distillate (also, this was released at the height of the now-fading whisky boom), it was understandably snapped up quickly.

If you can get a bottle of Springbank 12 Cask Strength for the suggested retail price from the distillery, you would pay about GBP 71, the equivalent of about USD 95. However, due to the three-tier importation/distribution/retail system in the US, and markups by some of those parties, we generally don't see this for under $140 or $150 when it's on the shelf here (which is quite rare, anyways). Most of the time, it's actually in the $170 to $200 range due to its rarity. That sort of price is asking a lot of a whisky, but this is a famously good release - let's see how this specific batch stacks up.

Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength Batch 23 (2021)

Scotland/Campbeltown - Single Malt

Price: USD 179 (2026)

Age Statement: 12 Years

Strength: 55.9% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; batch 23; bottled 2021

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 years; bottles at 80%, 90%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: A bit closed up at first, but as it opens, we get some oak, a decent amount of peaty smoke, even a bit of wood smoke. After that, bright fruit notes blossom: peaches, guava, effervescent lemon-lime soda. Malty scents combine with minerals, licorice, root beer, and cola; we also get vanilla bean and custard. Quite varied and complex.

Palate: Where to start - there's a lot going on. Juicy fruits of nectarine, tinned peaches, guava, lemon, and green plantain; heather, a prickle of black pepper, industrial notes and some ashy smoke; tannins add a kick, and we get honey and tropical honeydew nuances later. The mouthfeel is medium-thick; this has a stunning spirit character, so vibrant, nuanced, and balanced despite the high strength.

Finish: Buttery malt and sweet honey, vanilla and freshly-baked bread - nice baking notes now. There's still some musty peat smoke and prickly oak adding a sharper side, and strong notes of peach, orange, honeydew melon, and banana keep the fruit waves going. The aftertaste has a white pepper and nutmeg kick, as well as a slightly creamy texture; it's a medium-long finish.

Final Note: The complexity in whiskies such as this batch of Springbank 12 Cask Strength can be ridiculous; we wrote too many tasting notes for this one, and we felt that we could continue to wax lyrical for quite a lot longer if we had so desired. It's excellent stuff, despite the relatively modest age of 12 years; this also goes to show how much character can be packed into a distillate, as there's no crazy cask play to add all of these flavors. A really lovely whisky, a treat that we're lucky to own a bottle of.

Now, value - this is a little more tricky. At the suggested retail price of about $95, this would be excellent value, beating just about any other bottle in that price range, at least in our book. But, as we can't really get it for that price here, we have to take the inflated cost into account; even at the going rate of $170 or so in the US, this is still okay value, just a little below average. Honestly, we think it's worth it due to the unique tasting experience; if you can find a bottle for a fair-ish price, we recommend picking it up.

Our Rating: 8.5 / 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: 5.96

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.