Springbank 21 Years Old

This Springbank, an official release, a 21 year old release and bottled at 46%. Springbank is a Campbeltown distillery run by J and A Mitchell since 1828, one of the last working distilleries of old Campbeltown. Uniquely in Scotch, every drop is floor malted, distilled, matured and bottled on the one site.

It was floor malted, lightly peated and distilled two and a half times, and run into cast iron worm tubs. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. Past twenty years the spirit turns waxy and profound while keeping its character. Sea air works into the warehouses, lending a saline thread as the whisky breathes. 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.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow. An oily, maritime character with light peat are layered with vanilla, cream and light coconut. It is deep and complex, the maritime spirit shining through. A long, oily, coastal finish lingers. This is the cult Campbeltown malt from J and A Mitchell.