Longrow 1991

A distillery bottling of Longrow, aged 10 year old from 1991 and bottled at 46%. Springbank, founded in 1828 in Campbeltown, is famous for doing everything on site, from floor malting to bottling. The family owner also holds Cadenhead's, the oldest independent bottler in Scotland.

This was drawn off two distillations of heavily peated malt, with the spirit condensed in worm tubs. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed sweetness. At a youthful age the make is lively, salty and full of character. A patient maturation suits the rich, complex Campbeltown spirit. The open larch washbacks are a rare survival in modern Scotch. The distillery has become a place of pilgrimage for whisky enthusiasts. 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.

At 46% it is supple and briny. Heavy smoke over brine and wax sit over vanilla, honey and coconut. A waxy weight and a saline tang give it real body. A warming, oily finish lingers long. This is the peated face of Campbeltown.