Springbank 1991 Bourbon

A distillery bottling of Springbank, a 12 year old from 1991 and bottled at 58.5%. The outturn was 5986 bottles. Springbank is a Campbeltown distillery run by J and A Mitchell since 1828, a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Concerto barley is malted on the floors and kilned in the distillery's own kiln.

It was distilled around two and a half times from floor malted, lightly peated barley, then cooled slowly in worm tubs. Ex-Bourbon casks held the spirit, soft oak that lets the make lead. By this age the maritime weight rounds into a richer, fuller malt. Refill oak lets the distillery character lead, all oily weight and coastal salt. The sea loch at the foot of the town shapes the coastal character of the malt. Demand far outstrips the small output, and bottles are keenly chased. Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn each show a different face of the one distillery. The open larch washbacks are a rare survival in modern Scotch.

Undiluted at 58.5%, it is intense. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over a vanilla and toffee sweetness. The texture is rich and oily, the salt threaded through. The finish is long, waxy and briny. This is a complex, coastal Campbeltown whisky.