Springbank Longrow 17 Years Old (49.4%)

An official Longrow single malt, a 17 year old release from 2002 and bottled at 49.4%. The outturn was 264 bottles. Springbank has distilled in Campbeltown since 1828, a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Each bottling is filled and labelled in Campbeltown rather than shipped away.

It was made by double distillation of heavily peated Campbeltown malt, then cooled slowly in worm tubs. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Past a decade the oily spirit deepens, fruit and salt knitting with the oak. Refill oak lets the distillery character lead, all oily weight and coastal salt. Kintyre's damp, mild climate suits a long and gentle maturation. The old town of Campbeltown once rivalled Speyside as Scotland's whisky heart. Quality and tradition, not volume, have always been the watchwords here. The spirit is filled to cask and matured within the distillery walls. Few distilleries keep so much of the old craft alive under one roof.

At a natural 49.4% it is full and oily. A tarry, maritime smoke sit over dried fruit, fig and walnut. The texture is rich and oily, the salt threaded through. The finish runs deep, briny and warm. This is the peated face of Campbeltown.