Here are the tasting notes from whiskyfun.com - Serge Valentin - (Thanks Serge!)
Springbank 31 yo 1963/1994 (52.3%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, sherry wood) That’s right, its only a semi-independent Springbank as the old bottlers from Aberdeen have been taken over by J & A Mitchell & Co., owners of Springbank, in 1972. Colour: coffee with bronze hues. Nose: so close, and yet so far from the OB! Heavier, punchier, thicker, maybe less elegant in a way, with more oaky tones, more liquorice, more red fruits and their jams (raspberries, yes!), more Demerara sugar and rums, rather more smoke as well, more sherry obviously, more chocolate… And less elegance. Yet, it’s magnificent. With water: oh yes it is. Fab sherry, with now more mineral notes, flints, Iberico ham, old books, mushrooms (morels?), chocolate, leather polish… Amazing now. Mouth (neat): smashing concentration, with more meat and mint this time, bitter chocolate, a lot of liquid tar, chestnut honey, black raisins, menthol… Then old Demerara rum again and bitter oranges. What a show. With water: you have to get the amount of water right because too much of it will make it drying and, well, wishy-washy, but otherwise we have a superb dry oloroso, with more prunes, oranges, chocolate, liquorice, coffee and cinnamon. Something of some very high-end old Cognacs. Finish: long and very chocolaty. Also coffee ‘improved’ with orange liqueur. Comments: careful with water but otherwise, this baby’s absolutely stunning. I think we forgot to call the anti-maltoporn brigade, haven’t we? SGP:563 - 95 points.
