Springbank 10 Years Old (55%)

A distillery bottling of Springbank, a 10 year old from 2014 and bottled at 55%. Only 9900 bottles were released. The Springbank distillery, in Mitchell family hands since 1828, is a byword for traditional Scotch whisky making. The distillery sits in the heart of Campbeltown, near the head of its sea loch.

The make was run two and a half times through the stills from lightly peated malt, with the spirit condensed in worm tubs. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed sweetness. At a youthful age the make is lively, salty and full of character. The hands on, small scale working shapes a spirit of real individuality. 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.

At 55%, undiluted, it is deep and powerful. A briny, oily depth with a hint of peat ride on vanilla, honey and coconut. A waxy weight and a saline tang give it real body. A long finish smoulders on salt and oil. This is Springbank's rich, oily, maritime style.