Springbank 1967-1981 13yo Official Italian Release #1967/3130 58.9%

An exceptionally outstanding Springbank that seems destined for the top of my personal rankings. Springbank SPRINGBANK 1967-1981 13yo Official Bottling for Italy #1967/3130 58.9% The aroma is powerful old sherry, berry and plum jam, black sugar, caramel, violets, mint, a rich thick barley note with aged complexity, leather, composted leaves, bouquet garni, coffee, bitter herbal liqueur, supported by old peat. Initially overwhelming but gradually unfolding with successive layers of complex aromas. On the palate, it expands powerfully and aromatically with old sherry, rich berry jam, droplet-like fruitiness, mint, herbal liqueur, chewy texture, deep savory barley umami, rich berry jam sweetness, tightening tannins, earthy composted leaves and old peat notes, leather, and a long, intoxicating finish. 【Excellent】 This is the official single cask Springbank 1967 bottled at cask strength for Italy in 1981. While the shoulder label states '10 years,' the actual distillation date (1967/11/31) and bottling date (1981/11/6) indicate nearly 14 years of aging. Such 'imperfect' aspects are what make this distillery endearing (laughs). As regular readers might notice, I've picked up far more elements than usual in this description. This bottle is so enjoyable to taste that aromas and flavors keep emerging one after another, each making a strong statement as a primary characteristic while maintaining high-dimensional balance. I could keep writing about this indefinitely, but time is limited as I'm preparing for a trip to Scotland. More importantly, there are so many things I want to express that it's hard to organize them coherently. As an exception, I'll publish this bullet-pointed description as written during the tasting: ・An old sherry with a strong nuance of black sugar and concentrated berry jam, differing from the noble GM style. ・Aged just enough to keep woodiness and bitterness in perfect balance. ・The thick barley character remains intact due to its short maturation period. ・Earthy notes, old peat, leather, herbs, and other elements that deepen the flavor emerge successively. ・These elements maintain a sense of unity while asserting their individuality in high-dimensional balance. ・Resembles the Samaroli 12yo Hypo Proof. ・Powerful and undeniable deliciousness, yet elegantly refined. ・No complaints possible. ・This might be my best of the year. I've had an incredible drink, truly.