Springbank distillery is releasing a new set of five sherry-matured whiskies dubbed “The Sherry Series” starting from 2022 through to 2026 with Australia receiving them approx. 6 months after the UK release dates.!
Some context
You won’t find many whisky circles not talking about Springbank, conversations often vary from the polarising to the awe inspiring and no matter where you sit on the Springbank rainbow, the distillery is often on many aficionados lips and that’s promo gold – If only the whisky touched those same lips more often too…..
The brand is now arguably sitting side by side with the Macallan at the top of the proverbial whisky perch in terms of collectability with bottles barely making it to merchant shelves as enthusiasts pursue these golden nuggets like relentless zombie hordes on unassuming flesh (guilty as charged!). Even the core range is now hotter than Hades; then throw Hazelburn and Longrow in the mix and the demand is simply seismic. Is there an end game? Who knows, but as long as Springbank keeps delivering the goods with their limited output, the market seems hell bent on riding the lava swell to limitless frontiers.
About the Sherry Series
After the unrivalled success of the Local Barley range, it’s really a no-brainer that Springbank has embarked on a new series of five expressions that deep dives into the nuances of partially maturing their whisky in various types of sherry wood. Each of the five bottlings will be partly matured in different varieties of sherry casks in the following order: Pedro Ximénez, Palo Cortado, Amontillado, Fino and Manzanilla with the Manzanilla and Palo Cortado releases the first of their kind for the distillery.
(More about this later)
A Collectors Dream, A Dinkers Nirvana!
The First Release
Springbank 10-Year-Old ‘Sherry Wood’ PX Cask Matured 700ml 55%
Only released to the Australian market in May 2023, this rare 10-year-old was matured for 7 years in refill bourbon barrels followed by 3 years in fresh Pedro Ximenez Hogsheads. To safeguard Springbank’s distinctive flavour profile, the distillery has gone with a fairly limited 3-year maturation period in Pedro Ximenez casks due to the fact that PX is more active by its very nature with huge sherry notes on the palate. Additional maturation past 3-years could prove too much and overwhelm the entire drinking experience.
Subscribe to our mailing list HERE for or visit our Facebook page for instructions on how to hopefully secure a bottle of this first release!
Although we’d love nothing more than to crack the seal of one of these beauties, unfortunately Australia’s allocation was miniscule and our loyal supporters always come first so we’ll have to settle for buying a dram at a dedicated whisky bar which is a win/win in our book.
The distillery tells us that the “whisky is rich with notes of date syrup and raisins that leads to a spicy palate of cola cubes, cherry menthol, cinnamon and caramel. The typical Springbank characteristics hold their own against the heavy PX influence in an apparent oiliness and damp, dunnage note”.
Release timeline – 2022 through 2026
The five-bottle set will be released annually in the following order:
1. 10-year-old Pedro Ximénez release – 2022 edition – May 2023 release (AU)
Subscribe to our mailing list HERE for instructions on how to hopefully score a bottle!
2012 vintage: 7 years bourbon + 3 years PX sherry.
2. 10-year-old Palo Cortado release – 2023 edition
2013 vintage: 6 years bourbon + 4 years Palo Cortado sherry.
3. 10-year-old Amontillado release – 2024 edition
2014 vintage: 5 years bourbon + 5 years Amontillado sherry.
4. 10-year-old Fino release – 2025 edition
2015 vintage: 4 years bourbon + 6 years Fino sherry.
5. 10-year-old Manzanilla release – 2026 edition
2016 vintage: 3 years bourbon + 7 years Manzanilla sherry.
Note that the partial sherry maturation increases in one year increments due to the nature of the sherry casks selected and their affinity to individual ageing. For example, the rich and reactive Pedro Ximenez release No.1 casks hit the sweet spot at 3 years of maturation whereas the lighter-bodied, dryer and more delicate Fino and Manzanilla styles benefit from additional time in the cask coming in at 6 years and 7 years of maturation respectively.
Final Thoughts
It might sound a touch gratuitous for Springbank to call this range ‘The Sherry Series’, as the expressions aren’t matured full term in sherry casks having spent a good time in bourbon barrels as well. However, it’s fantastic to see the Campbeltown folks flexing their experimental-sherry nous as the distillery is often known to stay in their proven lane leaning heavily on Oloroso for its balanced properties that compliments Springbank’s DNA like honey to a bee.
Nevertheless, the series is guaranteed to be a collectors dream and will no doubt elevate Springbank to dizzying heights not seen in the modern-day whisky world before, (if that’s even possible with the current benchmark they have set). Although the propensity to flip the range will be undeniable, as we often say at The Old Barrelhouse…. It would be amazing to see our allocation opened and actually enjoyed for the delightful spirit it will no doubt be, because at the end of the day, we only have one life right…. Oh, the mind boggles at the thought! 😉