There are moments in this job where a bottle arrives and you simply have to sit with it for a while before reaching for a glass. The Springbank 1996, a 24-year-old single malt finished across sherry and Madeira casks and released as part of the East Asia Asanoha Dragon series, is precisely that kind of whisky. At £3,000, it demands your attention — and your patience.
Campbeltown is Scotland's smallest whisky region, and Springbank is its beating heart. The distillery has long operated with a stubbornness that I find deeply admirable: they malt a portion of their own barley on-site, they run their stills with a character all their own, and they refuse to chase volume. A 24-year-old expression from a 1996 vintage is the product of decisions made nearly a quarter century ago, and that kind of long-term thinking is increasingly rare in an industry chasing limited editions and quick returns.
What makes this particular bottling intriguing is the dual-cask maturation. Sherry cask influence on Springbank is well-documented territory — it tends to amplify the distillery's natural oiliness and coastal funk with dried fruit richness. But the Madeira cask element adds a genuinely uncommon dimension. Madeira wood, with its oxidative character and tangy sweetness, has the potential to introduce something closer to tropical preserve and a gentle nuttiness that you simply do not get from sherry alone. At 48.8% ABV, it's bottled at a strength that suggests confidence in the liquid — enough muscle to carry those layered cask influences without overwhelming them.
The Asanoha Dragon series is clearly aimed at the East Asian collector market, and the presentation reflects that. But I'd urge anyone fortunate enough to acquire a bottle not to treat it as purely decorative. This is Campbeltown whisky with genuine age and an unusual cask combination. It was made to be drunk.
The Verdict
At three thousand pounds, you are paying a premium that reflects Springbank's cult status, the age of the liquid, and the limited nature of the release. Is it worth it? That depends entirely on what you value. If you're looking for a straightforward dram, there are exceptional whiskies at a fraction of the price. But if you want something that represents a specific moment in Campbeltown's modern story — a distillery at the height of its reputation, a vintage with serious age, and a cask combination that few producers would attempt — then this bottle makes its case convincingly. I'm giving it 8.4 out of 10. It loses half a mark for the collector-driven pricing that puts it beyond most enthusiasts' reach, but the liquid itself is serious, considered, and unmistakably Springbank. This is a whisky that knows exactly what it is.
Best Served
Neat, in a tulip glass, with ten minutes of breathing time before your first sip. If you've spent this kind of money, you owe it to yourself to experience the full evolution. A few drops of water after your initial tasting will open things up — Springbank at this age and strength tends to reward dilution generously. No ice. No mixers. Just time and attention.
