Hazelburn is the triple distilled, unpeated whisky from Springbank distillery that was first made in 1997. Presented in 2009, Hazelburn 12 Year Old is (at least partly) matured in sherry casks and currently the oldest expression (next to the Hazelburn 10 Years).
Hazelburn 12 yo
(46%, OB +/- 2016)
Nose: quite pungent at first. Clean, with a slightly sharp edge. Lots of orange zest, lemons and some briney notes. Golden raisins in the background. Walnuts and leather. A little sunflower oil and a hint of cigar boxes.
Mouth: starts spicy / grassy and rather coastal again. Malty notes, a little caramel and growing stewed fruits. Orange liqueur. A little honey. Firm wood spices (nutmeg, ginger and others) as well as a faint hint of dark roast coffee.
Finish: quite warm and spicy, with hints of tobacco, but rather short.
Not sure. A rather light, orangey spirit, influenced a lot by the oak. I’m not entirely convinced – the shadow of recent Springbank production is just too big for this. Around € 65.
Score: 80/100