Springbank 12 Years Old Cask #Batch 26

A distillery bottling of Springbank matured to 12 year old, drawn from cask Batch 26 and bottled at 56.2%. Established in 1828, Springbank is a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Water comes from Crosshill Loch, the barley malted on the distillery's own floors.

The spirit was drawn off after two and a half distillations of gently peated malt, and worm tub cooled in the old way. Ex-Sherry wood suited the heavy make, adding a dried fruit richness. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. Refill oak lets the distillery character lead, all oily weight and coastal salt. Campbeltown was once the whisky capital of the world, with more than thirty distilleries at its peak. Today just three distilleries survive in the old Kintyre whisky town. The maritime warehouses by the sea lend the malt its briny, oily depth. A 1940s Porteus mill and an open iron mash tun are part of the old setup.

At a full 56.2% it is bold and oily. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over raisin, fig and a vanilla sweetness. The mouthfeel is oily, the fruit carried on a salty body. Salt and oily fruit see out a long finish. This is the most traditional malt in Scotch.