Springbank 12 Years Old

A distillery bottling of Springbank, a 12 year old release and bottled at 46%. Springbank, founded in 1828 in Campbeltown, is a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Little has changed in the way the spirit is made for the best part of a century.

This was run through the distillery's part triple distillation, the malt floor malted and gently peated, and worm tub cooled in the old way. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. Refill oak lets the distillery character lead, all oily weight and coastal salt. Today just three distilleries survive in the old Kintyre whisky town. 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.

At 46% it is soft, oily and coastal. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over creamy vanilla and oak sweetness. The mouthfeel is oily, the fruit carried on a salty body. A warming, oily finish lingers long. This is the most traditional malt in Scotch.