Springbank 15yo Oloroso
Australia Exclusive (PSI*) | 48.3% ABV
Score: 8/10
Something special.
TL;DR
A-Grade Springy in a clean but characterful sherry cask
A Good Bar
There are innumerable places that people congregate to seek community, camaraderie, and solace. None, in my opinion, are quite so widely accepting than a good bar.
It’s a fairly short one from old Tyree this time around, but it’s sincere. Whether that makes any bleeding difference isn’t for me to say, but I’m foisting it on you all anyway. Consider yourselves foisted.
For many people seeking human connection, introspection or shelter from the various slings and arrows of life, the answer is frequently some form of faith. It can be a beacon of relief in an otherwise gloomily monochrome, nose-to-the-grindstone trudge fuelled by capitalist intemperance and interspersed with brief and transactional encounters with other similarly disenfranchised fleshy cogs. As I’ve mentioned in other articles, working in retail as an introvert makes such encounters particularly draining.
As I fail to subscribe to any particular flavour of religion or spirituality, my focus of my faith has never been a temple or church — rather, it has been high quality local bars. One local in particular remains a steadfast friend: The Wheatsheaf Hotel, more colloquially known as “The Wheaty”. Jade Flavell, the publican and head brewer of this most friendly of brewpubs, has been a pioneer of all things fermented grain juice since 2003. As one of Australia’s first brewpubs, The Wheaty has collaborated with a slew of breweries (and, more recently, local distilleries) from both a domestic and an international roster — some of you may recognise breweries such as Sierra Nevada, Sixpoint, and To Øl.
On the whisky front, Jade was an early advocate for the pioneering work of importers and distributors like Graham Wright of The Odd Whisky Coy and distillers like Ian Schmidt of Southern Coast/Tin Shed Distilling. These folks have contributed to many exploratory whisky tastings with co-presenters ranging from independent bottlers and blenders to biologists and brand marketers.
The bar at The Wheaty is stocked with a fairly small number of bottles (usually 20–30), but the collection is both well curated and diverse. There are always a few domestic and non-British Isles options, some whiskey with the E, and one or two rare gems (this is the only bar in Adelaide I’ve seen with Rosebank and Port Ellen on the same menu, both for less than you might expect), plus more often than not something from Springbank distillery — hence the review below.
Aside from its stellar range of beverages and A-list line up of events and tastings, The Wheaty is an exceptionally welcoming place; it acts as a live music venue for small local bands from a slew of genres, collaborates with performers from stand-up comedy to poetry evenings, and generally functions as a meeting place for creative and artistic minds of all persuasions. The clientele range from generic pub-goers to students studying with a pint, from bohemians to Bohemians — yes, The Wheaty’s Czech pils, when on tap, is rather good. No matter who you are or which walk of life you’re from, if you’re open-minded and polite, you’ll fit right in.
Such a culture fostered around a shared place of drink and community is singularly refreshing for me. When the creeping, sinister tendrils of social scepticism in the face of seemingly inescapable demonstrations of Randian egoism take root, a trip to The Wheaty excises such nefarious thoughts. A pint and a dram by the pool table or in the beer garden fortify the soul with near metronomic regularity.
I usually find a similar refreshment from a quiet drink at home on the porch or while out on a hike in the hills. Nothing, though, restores my faith in our collective basic capacity for goodness as a trip to the bar: friends laughing together and whiling away the splendours and pitfalls of mortality in an offhand way, hearts on sleeves, arm in arm. It is a sweet, healing kind of nakedness which would be indecent to clothe. I believe Roy would say, “It’s medicine” — and I don’t disagree.
Of course, these kinds of experiences aren’t exclusive to just me, and one can only imagine how many weary folks with bedraggled humours have found similar experiences in other bars the world over. Some of my fellow Dramface writers have written about or made mention of venerable watering holes like the Bon Accord and The Pot Still, and uncountably many other such venues must provide similarly restorative safe havens. Such is the magic of whisky, such is the influence of those with whom we share it, and such is the power of the places we imbibe it. These are precious things, and I am grateful.
Review
Springbank 15yo PSI, Australia exclusive, single first-fill oloroso cask, 48.3% ABV
£ unknown, paid AUS$40 per 30ml bar pour
This dram is one which I have only ever been able to find at The Wheatsheaf. Jade has been a supporter of Australia’s importer for J&A Mitchell & Co. (Graham Wright) since before Springbank gained widespread popularity. As a result, she has had access to some utter gems over the course of time and happily sticks them on the back bar rather than playing any silly games with the secondary market. A fine publican indeed.
Over my many visits to The Wheaty I’ve had the great pleasure of sampling this whisky six times now (no, not usually full pours) and have come to learn its profile over time. The fill level has dropped from nearly untouched to nearly empty. I don’t suspect it will last long, and it may even be depleted by the time this review comes out. Probably because I drank it all — gomen nasai & seppuku — but it’d still be worth it.
Nose
Stately Springbank through the lens of heavy sherry. Much cleaner than the core 15 bottling which typically seems to have quite a bit of cask sulfur.
Starts with dry baking spices, particularly clove, ginger, and cinnamon blended with figs and dates, then continues with Christmas cakes and puddings rinsed in young brandy. The peat unfolds with leather, chimney smoke, and some mild lit cigar as well as wee hints of leafy mulch singed at the edge of a campfire. There are also peripherals suggesting soy sauce and grilled mushroom umami tones. The Campbeltown DNA is present with some passion fruit juices and moderate fermented meats, but the sherry cask takes the lead here.
Palate
The Springbank signatures sing louder here: tropical fruits with passion fruit, guava, limes beginning to ferment, and tepache mingle with the sherry's dried fruits, orange oils, and baking spices. The peat contributes enough savoury smoke to right the ship — more tobacco and toasted mulches, hearth fire, mettwurst, and peppery smoked sausage. The peat and sherry leave some leathery/soy umami rounding off the sweet-savoury balance with a moderate stone-fruit-esque tartness drawing out saliva. The finish doesn't quite go to rancio but perhaps gives some tannic impressions, along with stone fruit and oak redolent of old Armagnac.
The Dregs
Beautifully old school. One of the few sherry bombs I can truly stand behind and praise adoringly. The quality is top notch while only the price and low availability (even for Springbank, I mean) pull it from the realms of nine-dom. Whilst I’m writing these notes from home with as much cold and clinical evaluation as I’m able to muster (using a sample harvested from the bar), I can’t help but think of the other times I’ve enjoyed this at The Wheaty. Sometimes alone, either with a book or while watching people at other tables revel in good company, much as a child might watch marionettes; sometimes with friends of my own, passing the glass around to share with them the delights of this whisky’s immense character. In every scenario though, the whisky has been a checkpoint of sorts, marking a time and place for lifted spirits and a feeling of convivial connection.
Aye, whisky is good. People can be, too — but the whisky sure helps.
Score: 8/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. TK
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Other opinions on this:
Sorry — this one’s obscure. 🤷
*PSI: Premium Scotch Importers Pty Ltd
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