Springbank 44 Years Old 1969 Cask #7 (Lombard)

Bottled by Lombard, this Springbank matured to 44 year old from 1969, drawn from cask 7 and bottled at 41.1%. The outturn was 260 bottles. Springbank has distilled in Campbeltown since 1828, a cult Campbeltown distillery with a devoted following. Water comes from Crosshill Loch, the barley malted on the distillery's own floors.

It was floor malted, lightly peated and distilled two and a half times, and worm tub cooled in the old way. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. Decades leave it waxy and oxidative, candied fruit and brine with great depth. The cool, damp Campbeltown air by the sea gives a slow, even maturation. 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. The Mitchell family has held the distillery for five generations. The town and the sea run through every cask of the make.

At cask strength 41.1% it is muscular. A coastal, waxy spirit with gentle peat ride on creamy vanilla and oak sweetness. The mouthfeel is oily, the fruit carried on a salty body. The finish runs deep, briny and warm. This is a revered Campbeltown single malt.