One Springbank’s most anticipated (and hence hardest-to-get) annual releases is the Local Barley:
The Local Barley is an annual release made from barley grown in or around Campbeltown. Each year a local farmer is commissioned to grow barley on our behalf to continue producing this ‘grain to glass’ limited edition. SB
The last two editions were made from belgravia barley from Glencraigs farm. Now you know. What I don’t know is what that whisky tastes like, but I’m about to find out.
Springbank | “Local Barley” | 11yo (2011) | 55.1% | Official
🌐
Scotch single malt
🪵
55% Sherry, 35% Bourbon, 10% Rum
🔆
unchillfiltered & natural color
💲
Retail price is around €100 for the microsecond stocks last; then ~€300 at auction
from a 2cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Intense (over)ripe fruits (strawberries, pineapple, banana, molasses), fragrant flowers (geranium), some sweet spices (vanilla & cinnamon), and earthier and “dirtier” notes (dunnage warehouse, hemp, pine tree resin, struck matchstick).
Sipping
Thick and oily, but dry. Some saltiness. Flavourwise there are rich fruits and a vegetal peat and hickory.
💭 Comments
It’s good, but I’m not so sure I really like it more than the regular 10yo.
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫🟡🟢
⚫⚫🟢
⚫🟡🟢
Fruity-funky. Frunky?
Springbank | “Local Barley” | 13yo (2010) | 54.1% | Official
🌐
Scotch single malt
🪵
60% Bourbon, 40% Sherry
🔆
unchillfiltered & natural color
💲
Retail price is around €100 for the microsecond stocks last; then ~€300 at auction
from a 5cl sample bottle
🗒️ Tasting notes
Nosing
Round and soft sherry notes (fruit cake, cinnamon), mix of sour and ripe fruits (dates, apples, orange), and slightly “dirty” and minerally, like a farmhouse cider.
Sipping
Mediun-dry (less than the 2022), oily and briney. The flavour is nutty, with dried fruits, and a vegetal and “farmy” peat. Overall, really funky.
💭 Comments
I liked the nose a lot! And the first encounter with the palate, but then, especially after some water, the peat and slightly sulphury sherry, and farmy spirit was hovering on line between good funk and too much funk for me. Value for money based on hard-to-get retail price, and assuming one is really into that funk.
⚖️ Score
Deliciousness
Fun factor
Value for money
Punchline
⚫🟡🟢
⚫⚫🟢
⚫🟡🟢
Funk-tastic?
At the moment I’m feeling that Springbank 10 is good, not too expensive or hard to get, and I don’t really need to chase after bottles of these rarer versions.
DuckDrams 
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