New Release: Springbank 1996-2015 19 Year Old Maltman #103

This was a very good sherry cask in recent years. Springbank SPRINGBANK 1996-2015 19yo The Maltman #103 48.5% One of 246 bottles, Oloroso Sherry Cask The nose has a strong sherry character with berry jam, concentrated grape juice, dried fruits, clove, beef bouillon, and a hint of charred barley in the background. On the palate, it has a rich sweetness from berry jam and dried fruits, with some meaty richness, tanned leather, thickness, and a gentle herbal bitterness that tightens the flavor. There's also some peat in the background, leading to a long, rich finish. [Good/Very Good] This new release from Maltman is Springbank 1996, aged for 19 years. The first impression of the nose has a clear sherry character, which aligns with my recent preferences for sherries. It has notes of berry jam and grape juice, along with a diverse aroma of herbs and spices. On the palate, the sherry is evident, with concentrated fruits and their sweetness, balanced by a tannic herbal bitterness. It has a slightly meaty, rich flavor with thickness. While the peaty character typical of this era's Springbank is masked by sherry on the nose, it emerges from the background when tasted. Compared to several official sherries I've recently tried, this one lacks brininess or dashi soy sauce-like qualities and has a more restrained peat character, which personally I prefer. Among the two new releases I tried today, this Springbank and the previously posted Feuttera Kenan, both were close to Good/Very Good. While not outstanding, they clearly exceeded expectations in terms of deliciousness, and are definitely among my favorite recent bottler releases. I look forward to future releases.