Hazelburn 15 Year-Old Oloroso Cask:

[@arygerman6122]

This is one of the best whiskies I have had. I have had it back to back with the Glendronach 18 which is probably my favourite whisky of all time and I couldn’t choose between them. Just superb.

[@jordonallison7886]

Haven't seen a 15 in my area yet, but I was able to get a couple 13s and 14s when they were released. 14 might be one of my favorite whiskies.

[@DonnerPassWhisky]

The 2017 Hazelburn 13 oloroso was my first bottle from Springbank after Swami made it his Whisky of the year. At that time was just trying to get my foot in the door of peat and it was so FUNKY I thought it was peated an was struggling with it. Half way through the bottle I was in love and ordered Springbank 12 CS batch 17 and was all the way down the Campeltown rabbit hole. Cheers guy's

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Still have a little of m 2017 13 left. Wonderful bottle.

[@biofixphysicaltherapy5353]

I got 2 of these have not opened yet..also got the 21 yr old and cadenhead hazleburn 13 yr…good times ahead

[@topshelfwhisky]

good times ahead, indeed!

[@krishnar3493]

I remember just before the lockdowns, my family was away overseas and I blitzed through a bottle of Hazelburn 14 quickly in days. I wasn’t impressed initially, only on the last few pours I admired its strength as a whisky. Went online to get the last two bottles but they were gone. But to me, enough with these Springbank glories. It seems very hard to escape from the hype these days. Most channels I tune into, its about how glorious Springbank is. Its just a whisky. Most Ardbegs on shelves do it nicely for me. I know you boys call it as it is and for us viewers there is always that option to not watch it. But I mainly come here to watch you guys converse.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Cheers buddy. I wish the ardbeg special releases weren't so hit and miss and increasingly expensive. Mike and I have just decided to stop reviewing them until we hear they're consistently getting better again. Still love their core...maybe minus that 5 year. Sorry just not my thing.

[@jasoncoates1835]

You're not being too generous... I've had at least a sample of every HB Oloroso release to date and this one stands out to me. (2018 is still my #2... I was somewhere in between you guys on the 2020.)

[@topshelfwhisky]

Yep, it’s that good.

[@garyk3675]

I finally was able to get a bottle of this - will pick it up in a few days. Thanks for you rreview!

[@topshelfwhisky]

Nice! Let me know what you think.

[@garyk3675]

@@topshelfwhisky will do - also got the Longrow red Tawny port - look forward to both!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

I really loved that one on first try in a show here last year, but....too late to get one...I don't wanna go on secundary, same problem for the S 12 CS from same year (really loved the 100 % Bourbon choice) and I'm not even speaking about that H 21...The only one I can get more easily is the 10, and even, has to be the batch you want, and it's not always the case...Good reviewing job, btw !

[@topshelfwhisky]

I was lucky to get one, but would’ve preferred at least one backup. These just keep getting harder to get. Cheers

[@djbeacon6895]

Wow, a Real BANGER! Such BEAUTIFUL Stuff!! Congrats!

[@topshelfwhisky]

This one was shockingly good

[@Houman7]

Hard to believe but after having 50+ bottles of Springbank, this was the first Hazelburn that I bought, still haven’t had bottle of Longrow in my collection. Opened it right away in the shop to share it with the owner and my friends and few seconds later everyone was shocked how good it was. Ended up getting a second bottle at the scene. Only complaint is that they reduced the bottle size from 750 ml to 700 ml starting with this expression. Lastly make sure to try Black Art 10.1 if you get a chance, it’s simply superb and best one I’ve ever tried.

[@topshelfwhisky]

We have been noticing the 700ml thing too. It's all going to that I'm guessing. And why not, they can get away with it. BA 10.1 good ? Have you tried 4.1?

[@Houman7]

@@topshelfwhisky I have had a bottle of 4.1, 5.1, and 7.1 and tried other ones before but this new one is simply out of this world. I just checked WhiskyBase too and it seems everyone is impressed. If you can get it from UK, it’s a good value too for a 29 year old whisky

[@topshelfwhisky]

@@Houman7 That's good to hear, thank you... 4.1 and 7.1 were my favorites. So you would know.

[@pablov9212]

There have been shortages of glass bottles and even label glue, homogenizing everything to the UK bottling size likely makes everything easier for them. On top of the pour they're saving on every bottle

[@trubaka]

Just saw one today. I wasn’t sure @200 but after this review, I’m going back

[@topshelfwhisky]

that's the spirit

[@gman5986]

Iv'e had a bottle of the 14 year old some time ago and rated it a 88 points and liked it but didn't compare to Glendronach 18 of the same vintage. You boys are so expressive in your reviews it makes me buy more whisky!...:) Would love to try this one. Can you possibly share a link where to buy?.............Cheers!

[@topshelfdustin3060]

not sure where you can still get these, I know a few places had it for low 300's not long ago. The 14 was a really different beast than this one. Much more oak, not nearly as rich and didn't have that slightly nutty note. This one really punched at that next level.

[@topshelfwhisky]

The 14 year-old was solid but this one has a little something extra.

[@roberttalaber3398]

Fantastic review ... very glad with your rating ! This is my best sherry whisky (or simply whisky) of the year. Just superb in all the ways.

[@topshelfwhisky]

It was a surprise even for this distillery. Springbank did a great job in 2022

[@langtoun8235]

Thank you guys, this release was great, a very pleasant surprise, unfortunately I only opted to buy one bottle, which I regret now.

[@cliffnorman178]

This is an amazing Hazelburn whisky!!!!!!!

[@robertzemko6590]

I'm just finishing off my bottle of single cask Hazelburn 2005 14 yr fresh rum barrel from 2019, wish I would have bought more, One of my favorite scotches, very nice and while drinking it suddenly realized it is supposed to be non peated but sure seems lightly peated to me which is a nice thing. These kind of bottles are non existent here nowadays.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Oh that sounds lovely. I have an 11 year single cask ex bourbon. I must say this 15 HB does seem to have some peat notes as well.

[@PrescriptionBourbon]

Hey dustin! Is this the bottle you brought to the tailgate meetup? Yes or no, that was a delicious bottle. If no, this bottle sounds tasty. Cheers 🥃

[@topshelfdustin3060]

I brought the 2020 13 year version of this. This one is a nice step up from that. The extra 2 years and a few percentage points of ABV really added something here.

[@MrPsiman]

I think consistently Hazelburn is the best stuff from Springbank because they produce so little of it and I feel they baby sit it a little better than their other stuff.

[@arnoldbanderas1595]

I totally agree on this! I gave it a 90

[@topshelfwhisky]

A pleasant surprise in today’s market.

[@DarkSalmonz]

damn, still hasn't hit Indiana yet. I should know when it does, but now it's even bigger on my radar. Thanks for the review!

[@topshelfwhisky]

This has been my favorite version, worth tracking down and buying backups.

[@keithpetersen560]

It's good to at least have one bottle, just make it last. I used to see these different releases at BevMo and always passed them up. Now you can't find them, go figure. Great review.

[@topshelfwhisky]

The amount of her stuff I passed on at liquor stores still haunts me today

[@keithpetersen560]

@@topshelfwhisky I agree, but we didn't know.

[@Dai240888]

Hi, i have only tried the 2020 13 year olorosso sherry yet and i really love it. For me it has some similarities to the Glendronach 21 with its leathery almost smoky notes. I have a feeling it is even denser than the Glendronach 21. I just ordered 2 15 year old hazelburn, the one in this review and i am thinking about getting a third XD. How would you guys compare this one to the Glendronach 21 and a Kavalan Solist Olorosso Sherry?

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Wow hell of a question. So the glendronach 21's smoke comes from using coal in their distillation process (that' going away sadly). So this isn't PX like the 21 so it's a drier sherry. Meanwhile vs the Kavalan, that's a super sweat base malt while hazelburn is more earthy. I'd generally say the kavalan's can be better but it's a single cask. I'd take this over the glendronach 21 without a pause. But this is more earthy than either.

[@Dai240888]

So if you are considering the price a kavalan solist has the better value. In my market i got some hazelburn 15s for 199€ to 219€ and the glendronach 21 (2021 and 2022 version) in the same price range. For the base kavalan solists (olorosso sherry, vinho barrique and port) i payed roughly between 105€ and 119€ each. I consider these really the best of the best non peated whisky for me at a price i am still willing to pay. As you said they all are quite different in their profile with just some similarities but all outstanding for me. I didn't get the chance to try the premium solist line of kavalan yet, but they are also a step higher in price and not sure yet if i want to make that step.@@topshelfdustin3060

[@topshelfdustin3060]

@@Dai240888KZbin decided to filter a bunch of comments, so apologies for the slow response. If your prices are like that, Kavalan all day. I'd I'd say it's worth a splurge when/if you can for one of the premiums. I can't say they're better than the sherry soloist but they're good stuff and something different.

[@Dai240888]

@@topshelfdustin3060 no need to apologize. I am grateful for your reply regardless. Maybe in the far future i will splurge for them as well then 😆

[@topshelfdustin3060]

@@Dai240888 we see them on sale time to time here. so that has helped us get them

[@heartbroken522]

what a pity I missed this one😢

[@SingleMaltWithme]

Thanks for the review, been waiting on this one! Now just need to hear about that Longrow 15. Sounds like between the 14 and 15 Hazelburn, its a tough choice... if you can say, which one would rate more highly?

[@topshelfdustin3060]

15, not even a debate. The 14 had a lot more oak without the same depth and the added abv on the 15 was huge for the mouth feel. Should have the longrow review out soon ;)

[@topshelfwhisky]

I echo Dustin's thoughts. Its has been a good year for Springbank.

[@SingleMaltWithme]

@@topshelfdustin3060 Thanks for the reply guys, I loved the Hazelburn 14, but didn't get much of it due to sharing with friends (not that I regret it). Sounds like it's time to secure a couple of these 15's.

[@questionable9668]

Wow, saw these at the shop for $165. Need to pick one up for sure! Do you think this is something I should stock up on if I can?

[@topshelfdustin3060]

It might make you seem like a jerk for stocking up since it's rare....but I would :)

[@topshelfwhisky]

Absolutely

[@welshtoro3256]

in the U.K you have to do nothing else except refresh your whisky retailer website pages all day long, forever, if you have any chance of getting a bottle. One or two allocated to a handful of retailers and gone in the blink of an eye. I can buy a bottle today but the asking price is £240. This sounds lovely but I'm so totally fed up with Springbank's appalling distribution in the U.K. If I lived in Timbuctoo I'd have a better chance of a purchase.

[@topshelfwhisky]

It's getting more difficult every year for us to get Springbank.I have people in seven states actively looking for me. Good new is most of the Springbank.hazelburn/Longrow releases have been quite good so at least the whisky isn't disappointing. This isn't Lagavulin or Ardbeg. ;)

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Sounds like bourbon in Kentucky. For some reason the home market always gets screwed. That said...240 for this is something I know many shrewd buyers are doing after tasting it. But I'd certainly have wanted a taste before spending that on a 15 year!

[@welshtoro3256]

@@topshelfdustin3060 The original retail price was £75. I would never consider paying double that. Having said that, I am actually seeing £150 bottlings for 15 year stuff by the Independents probably nowhere near as good as this.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

@@welshtoro3256 was nearly 180 here and with exchange rates, 150 is about our retail. And yeah, IB's are really quickly losing their "value" more and more. Near CS and first fill sherry casks, 10 a year is a great value these days. I was paying 10 a year for Cadenhead's that used pretty tired casks a few years ago.

[@robertzemko6590]

I swear Canada is even worst, here in Onterrible Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn strictly forbidden, No Glendronach 15 or 18 or 21 in about 4 yrs, no Laphroaig cask strength ever etc etc Even in other provinces that used to be good supplies are super limited and anything desirable is gone before you can say Jackie Robinson, and prices have gone up sky high as well. At least in the UK you can get Laphroaig Lore for about $110 Canadian, try $225 here if you can get it. Word has it Prohibition is coming, that'll learn us.

[@MrPsiman]

Hazelburn is what Lowland stuff wishes it was. Sherried Hazelburn is Christmas is a glass. I wish I could find some single cask Kilkerran 15 CS but it's harder to get than Springbank stuff and none of it is sent to the U.S. Germany seems to get most of it

[@topshelfdustin3060]

We got 120 bottles of the KK15 oloroso a few years back. I may have bought 3 of the 120 :)

[@Mimi-fo7kp]

I was lucky to score two bottles of Hazelburn 15 at a local retailer.

[@topshelfwhisky]

Have to move fast! What did you pick them up for?

[@Mimi-fo7kp]

of course for drinking!

[@alfocrown]

you cant go wrong with hazelburn sherry wood series, and i bet ppl of springbank literally smell every single sherry cask before they fill it with hazelburn distillate , for getting this clean sherried hazelburn

[@topshelfwhisky]

It’s a masterpiece. So well constructed

[@TheDanielHayes]

The 22 year old Hazelburn Sherry Cask is absolutely phenomenal! Sadly, it’s only available for those on the Barley to Bottle tour at Springbank.

[@WhiskyMystery]

Ah great breakfast I remember although I would take the 31 year ex boubon Springbank any day.

[@topshelfwhisky]

What does that run at the distillery?

[@WhiskyMystery]

@@topshelfwhisky It was part of the Barley to Bottle day (£250) which includes three drams, lunch, a full bottle of cask strength 15-17 year and a tour.

[@WhiskyMystery]

@@topshelfwhisky See the menu here...www.springbank.scot/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/The-Washback-Bar-Menu-Nov-2022-2.pdf

[@topshelfwhisky]

@@WhiskyMystery washback bar… that’s a great name.

[@stefanlehnert2902]

Nice review. For me this bottle has to much sherry influence. Maybe you can blend it with Longrow 18 from a few years ago. Should be a good Springbank 🙂 Here in Germany this bottle was way to expensive. 150 Euro was for a very limited time the lowest price. And on top here you have these stupid whisky bundles where you have to buy a Glen Scotia 10 with it for example. For me this was a decent Hazelburn. Whiskybase: 182388 But I enjoyed your review a lot. Have a nice week. Cheers. Stefan

[@topshelfwhisky]

Heavy cask influence for sure on this one.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

I can get why you'd not want this much sherry. For me this is just my favorite sherry casks from springbank, so I'll forgive it!

[@WhiskyMystery]

I trust you Stefan. Too much sherry for us I think but sounds great for that profile.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

@@WhiskyMystery I wouldn't have recommended it strongly for you phil, but I still think you'd get a kick out of it.

[@WhiskyMystery]

@@topshelfdustin3060 Would like to try it at least.