advertisement


Whisky II

Anyone manage to bag any Springbank yesterday? Sold out in seconds, as per.
I'm off work and so I thought I'd go full throttle in an attempt to see what could be done.
From release day on 1st March until yesterday it was almost fruitless. I put hours and hours into it but the stock is so limited that it is very difficult.
Whisky Exchange - got the Longrow and 2 Kilkerrans in basket but cocked up the checkout in panic as I swore the PayPal option disappeared - it was merely in a greyed out tab and would have worked. Zip.
Royal Mile Whiskies - they dropped at 21:30 on Friday and I was not watching. Zip.
Abbey - late on last Thursday. Zip.
Other minor Retailers that I had been watching all week dropped when I was not watching. Zip.
Missed another drop today when driving home.

We are talking very low minutes for the larger retailers, or less than 30secs for independents as time in stock

I somehow managed a Local Barley from the Good Spirits Co by pure luck and F5.

I was letting it get to me and the Mrs was not best pleased.

Then yesterday we were out walking and Master of Malt stock came on - I was walking with my phone in view at all times. Handed phone to my son and he fastest fingered a Longrow Red 15 and both Kilkerrans on separate orders! This was partly due to Flippers going for the 25 and the Local Barley so the other stock stayed on very slightly longer. MoM website almost crashed which I have not seen before.

Failed in all ballots entered.

Retiring at end of May and may drive up to Campbeltown next time...with my son and three friends who have developed a sudden interest in fine brown spirits! :D

And then there is this:
https://www.whiskyshop.com/auctions/a44309-springbank-2011-10-year-old-local-barley
 
From the It's all About the Springbank FB group:
"So I popped into the SB Distillery shop earlier this week on a beautiful morning and the shelves were looking pretty empty. There were 3 x LB left, no 15 year old, a bunch of 10 year old, about a dozen or so Longrow Red and only a few Kilkerran Sherry left, no Port Cask as far as i could see although there were still some of those on the shelf in the independent Oban Whisky Shop; really like the guys in there. Had a good chat with the Distillery shop staff to find out how things had gone the previous Tuesday. People started queuing at just after midnight and the last person to get a 25yo had joined the queue at just after 4am. There were 2 dozen available on the morning. Overall, they simply had not expected nor were prepared for the demand to be so high. Only one cash machine and 6 people in the shop at a time. Also with so many new releases on the same day, is it any wonder the queue was so long. As for the buyers on the day, it was a very long wait. That said, one large group from the east were seen to buy, fill up a car, get into that car, change clothes then rejoin the queue with someone who was saving a place for them. They said it was a little laughable as the car they changed clothes in was actually parked in the distillery car park, i.e. right in front of those waiting in the queue! The queue was finally gone at just before 5pm. So I asked if any thought had been given to future release days given that demand was unlikely to diminish. They are considering setting up a marquee and obviously more cash machines to better serve custom on the day. It will be interesting to see how they handle Open Day in May! Other than that, Campbeltown was dead as it always is and Cadenhead shop had just 1 SB 10 year old left and a few Campbeltown Lochs! All their allocation of bottles were claimed by pre-orders i.e nothing apart from the Campbeltown Loch made it onto the shelf. Happy Days. Will post an update on my next trip down the Cowal peninsula in the coming weeks!"
 
Just to add - the core range of SB 10 and 15 have been restocked over the last week and have vanished just as quickly.

The new Campbeltown Loch blend is selling out as well. Though given this is less than 8 year old and also includes Glen Scotia more stock will be along soon.
 
I really wish I'd sent my wife in to make some purchases when we visited Springbank last year, as while they did have restrictions on how much each person could buy there was a reasonable amount of stock in. I bought a bottle of the cask strength 12 and a bottle of the cask strength Kilkerran 8 year old. The latter I haven't opened and it's just as well I've already opened the 12 otherwise I would have been tempted to flip it. Instead I'm now having a dram of 12, which is very good (and perhaps better with a little water added) but I am struggling slightly to understand they hype as I've plenty of others that are better IMHO.

If I'd got my wife to buy a couple of additional bottles I'd have got one of the Springbank 15's and a Longrow.
 
Instead I'm now having a dram of 12, which is very good (and perhaps better with a little water added) but I am struggling slightly to understand they hype as I've plenty of others that are better IMHO.
I'd be interested to know your alternatives as the Springbanks are becoming unicorns.
 
I've been put off SMWS by the element of pot luck, talk of a dip in quality since they were bought out (could well be old news) and tales of the really good bottles selling out in a flash.
My go to for cheap IBs are Whiskybroker and A D Rattray.
 
I've been put off SMWS by the element of pot luck, talk of a dip in quality since they were bought out (could well be old news) and tales of the really good bottles selling out in a flash.
My go to for cheap IBs are Whiskybroker and A D Rattray.

Zero issues over the last few years.

Had some really good bottles, only 1 or 2 that have been not as good as hoped, but still good.

Had some really good blends through them too
 
There’s still (thankfully) a few places to get good whisky at sane prices. Glendronach was, for a short while post-revival and until the world caught in, superb both price and quality wise. Glenfarclas still represents vfm imo. I had a very, very good indie bottling of Deanston a while back, and a brilliant Glenturret. There are some gems still to be found in the lesser sung distilleries, as well as the independent bottlers.
 
Despite my post above regarding not chasing bottles, I popped in to my local whisky retailer today, and all alone on the shelf was a single bottle of the Springbank 10. Which is now in my cabinet! I cheekily asked if they happened to have any SP Local Barley. Answer was no... I knew before I even asked though. Also picked up a Craigellachie 13yr, one I have not tried before, but curious about.
 
In the process of emptying a bottle of Hakushu 12 YO over the weekend. A stunning malt- brine, liquorice, and a lovely touch of smoke in the background. Absolutely top class whisky. Sadly, as it’s now going for over three times what I paid for this bottle, I’ll be unlikely to replace it. But dammit, it was good while it lasted.
 
As a birthday present my kids took me to the Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh yesterday evening.

172423449.WKNttFZ1.jw03.jpg


Quite a different experience from a distillery tour, but fun and very slick. My wife also bought me a present of their Winter Blend, which I got to bottle and label myself. It's a store exclusive using minimum of 16-year old whisky and bottled at 48%.

172423451.TUcqkwTH.jw05.jpg
 
The wee tremor of excitement as the last bottle of Glenallachie cask strength batch 7 fell into my virtual basket quickly turned to horror at the realisation that it'd sold out during the payment process. Anyone want to 'fess up?
 
Ordered an Arran Bodega sherry cask jobbie on the strength of recommendations on here. Due tomorrow, I'm on a week's annual leave after Friday and will doubtless christen it then.
 
Ordered an Arran Bodega sherry cask jobbie on the strength of recommendations on here. Due tomorrow, I'm on a week's annual leave after Friday and will doubtless christen it then.

I got that for Christmas together with The Bothy. They’re both superb. Let us know what you think.
 


advertisement


Back
Top