Springbank 19 Years Old 1996 Cask #106 (Archives)

Archives selected this Springbank, a 19 year old from 1996, drawn from cask 106 and bottled at 54.8%. Only 227 bottles were released. Established in 1828, Springbank is campbeltown's most revered surviving distillery. Small output and a cult following keep its bottles allocated and keenly sought.

The spirit was distilled around two and a half times from floor malted, lightly peated barley, the vapour cooled in worm tubs. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the maritime malt. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. The hands on, small scale working shapes a spirit of real individuality. 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. Demand far outstrips the small output, and bottles are keenly chased.

At cask strength 54.8% it is muscular. A briny, oily depth with a hint of peat are layered with dried fruit and a walnut richness. A waxy weight and a saline tang give it real body. The finish is long, waxy and briny. This is Springbank's rich, oily, maritime style.