Springbank 26 Years Old (53.5%)

An official Springbank single malt, a 26 year old Campbeltown malt from 1998 and bottled at 53.5%. 234 bottles in all. The Springbank distillery, a family distillery since 1828, is famous for doing everything on site, from floor malting to bottling. The family owner also holds Cadenhead's, the oldest independent bottler in Scotland.

The make was run two and a half times through the stills from lightly peated malt, with the spirit condensed in worm tubs. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. Beyond twenty years the malt grows waxy and deep, tropical fruit and salt over an oily base. A patient maturation suits the rich, complex Campbeltown spirit. The open larch washbacks are a rare survival in modern Scotch. The distillery has become a place of pilgrimage for whisky enthusiasts. Kintyre's damp, mild climate suits a long and gentle maturation.

At a natural 53.5% it is full and oily. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over vanilla, cream and light 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.