Springbank 28 Years Old 1974 Cask #2247 (Ian Macleod)

Ian Macleod bottled this Springbank matured to 28 year old from 1974, drawn from cask 2247 and bottled at 48%. 582 bottles in all. Springbank has distilled in Campbeltown since 1828, still owned by the Mitchell family, five generations on. It makes three malts: Springbank, the peated Longrow and the unpeated Hazelburn.

It was run through the distillery's part triple distillation, the malt floor malted and gently peated, then condensed through worm tubs. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the maritime malt. Past twenty years the spirit turns waxy and profound while keeping its character. A patient maturation suits the rich, complex Campbeltown spirit. 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. The sea loch at the foot of the town shapes the coastal character of the malt.

At 48%, undiluted, it is deep and powerful. A salty, waxy depth with a whisper of peat meet dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is rich and layered, the fruit and salt well matched. The finish is long, waxy and briny. This is a hand made Campbeltown single malt.