Springbank Wood Expressions 14 Years Old 1989

This official Springbank single malt, aged 14 year old from 1989 and bottled at 52.8%. The outturn was 7200 bottles. Springbank is a Campbeltown distillery distilling since 1828, the most traditional distillery in Scotch, malting all its own barley. Small output and a cult following keep its bottles allocated and keenly sought.

It was floor malted, lightly peated and distilled two and a half times, the vapour cooled in worm tubs. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. Worm tub condensing and an oil fired wash still build the rich, oily texture the distillery is known for. A 1940s Porteus mill and an open iron mash tun are part of the old setup. The Mitchell family has held the distillery for five generations. The town and the sea run through every cask of the make. The sea loch at the foot of the town shapes the coastal character of the malt.

Bottled at a cask strength 52.8%, it is rich. A sherried dried fruit and nuts from the cask underpins oily orchard fruit, salt and a wisp of peat. Soft fruit and brine sit behind the cask sweetness. A long, oily, coastal finish lingers. This is a revered Campbeltown single malt.