Hazelburn 20 year old 1998, Single Refill Barrel

Hoping to correct the downward trend of this week's whiskies, I'm pouring my sample of a 20 year old single refill ex-bourbon barrel of Springbank distillery's triple-distilled single malt, Hazelburn. It was bottled exclusively for some folks in Bremen (Germany, not Ohio ☹) by the distillery four years ago. To Thursdays!

Distillery: Springbank

Owner: J&A Mitchell
Brand: Hazelburn
Region: Campbeltown
Age: 20 years (May 1998 - September 2018)
Maturation: Refill Bourbon Barrel
Outturn: 192 bottles
Exclusively for: Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft (sp?), Bremen
Alcohol by Volume: 55.5%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Lovely nose, a barley bomb loaded with fresh cereal grains, as well as lemons, lemongrass, mint leaf and apricots. After 30 minutes, it gets VERY peachy. Herbs hit the palate first, both savory and bitter. Then lemons + lemongrass + lemon pepper. Maple, tangy smoke, guava and yuzu emerge from the background. Tart > sweet in the finish, all lemons, grapefruit and yuzu.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose: peaches, loquats, guavas, pastry and a whiff of smoldering rope. Meanwhile the palate becomes even more herbal, smoky and austere. It finishes similar to the palate with some additional lime in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Like an older sibling to Monday's great 13yo, this 20 year old is the first outright Hazelburn home run I've had. (Admittedly, I've tried only a baker's dozen.) With just a little bit of oak, heaps of fruits and grains, and a touch of smoke, this Hazelburn is a thrill to nose and a warm pleasure to sip. A cask pulled at the right time. Lucky Bremer Menschen!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90