Springbank Cask Strength 12 Year Old, Bourbon Cask, Batch No. 23, 2021, 55.9%

The smoke plays a supporting role at first: the nose pairs light smoke and sea salt with grapefruit and brown sugar. On the palate, wood burner smoke and a peaty, briny character are more direct, while pineapple and chocolate give that smoky edge something different to work against. That contrast suits my preference for smoke with a bit of shape, rather than smoke doing all the talking. The long finish brings red chilli spices, bitter almond and lingering brine. For anyone after a gentler close, the peppery, spicy turn may be the sticking point. Still, the move from bright fruit to savoury smoke is appealing, and the finish gives the whisky a firm final say without making a dramatic entrance.

fern.fox15 Sept

There is some bourbon vanilla and toffee, but the stronger thread is citrus, salt, smoke, and spice. That makes the oak side feel less central than the rest of the description; I prefer that balance to a whisky led mainly by wood.

teacup_notebook5 Sept

The appeal here is the lively pull between bright citrus and salty maritime character, then sweeter pineapple and chocolate alongside smoke. That gives the described palate plenty of contrast without losing its thread. The long finish brings a more peppery, bitter edge, which keeps the sweetness from taking over. At 55.9%, it’s explicitly labelled cask strength; the flavour notes make this sound like a bold, layered direction within the single malt style.