Roma, Roma, Romaaaaa…. No, we haven’t been seduced by AS Roma football performances. But Spirit of Scotland is going to start in a month in Rome. We’re going to be there because we want to kiss, hug and snuggle Pino Perrone, one of the organizers of the festival and owner of Emporio del Gusto. Why? Well, because during our last meeting he gave us this sample: a 15 yo Springbank from last 1970s/beginning of 1980s, one of those “pear shaped” bottles. A long time ago we tasted, thanks to Betty, the 21 yo from the same series. Now let’s see if its younger brother behaves properly.
N: very open and truly, truly intense and generous. Actually, it’s not only opened, it’s wide-open. You’re blown away by an orgasmic jubilation of various and super-intense fruit (apple, fresh and ripe pear, yellow fruit). Indeed, the intensity is so perfect that every suggestion hits the target. Tropicana galore, too: pineapple, maracuja, coconut… Later, a discrete creamines, like pear mousse, and the classical ripe citrus. But this is not the only trademark of the distillery: there is also a powerful note of wax which provides the dram a multifaceted and austere complexity, wonderfully integrated with the mentioned fruitiness. Do you mind if we say “strawberry flavored candle”? Deeply complex. For sure someone could detect a mineral hint, and generally speaking also superb malty notes. Perhaps even aromatic herbs from the kitchen.
P: it starts proudly feisty, on tropical (maracuja) and citrus (orange) notes, these one increasing comparing to the nose. With time, it becomes more “normal”, lingering on delicate, elusive but pleasant notes: malt, cereal, muesli. A palate with bitterish, mineral and herbal hints. The circle closes with creamy fruit (pear) and…
F: …is embellished by a priceless smoked touch, like an extinguished fireplace with tons of malt grains. Coconut and fruit again.
The perfect hashtag for this dram should be #flawless. Or perhaps #perfectnose? Ok, let’s stop this useless game. For sure this whisky drove us mad: astonishing intensity of aromas on the nose, really perfect and simply remarkable. The palate is more human, making this whisky extraordinary, but not incredible as we’d imagined. Our score will be an epicurean 92/100. Thanks, Pino!
Recommended soundtrack: Blixa Bargeld & Teho Tehardo – Come up and see me.
