Jewels of Scotland (distilled at Springbank), 1965 vintage, 46%

Bottled in 2001, but still in circulation and (fortunately) just finding its way to me. These Springers from the ‘60s are getting rarer and quite expensive. This is a great example of why they are so coveted — clean and well matured, with no sign of excessive oak. Elegant sherried fruit dovetails nicely with polished oak and a steady stream of dried spices. Look for citrus, nectarine, red licorice, coconut oil, ripe banana, and vanilla custard with warming cinnamon and brine. Warm, spicy finish. Very polished!