Springbank 29 Years Old 1974 Cask #1778 (Ian Macleod)

A Springbank single malt, selected and bottled by Ian Macleod, a 29 year old from 1974, drawn from cask 1778 and bottled at 51.2%. The outturn was 216 bottles. In Mitchell family hands since 1828, Springbank is the most traditional distillery in Scotch, malting all its own barley. Hedley Wright's family has kept the distillery independent for the best part of two centuries.

The spirit was made by Springbank's singular two and a half times distillation, and condensed in traditional 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. The cool, damp Campbeltown air by the sea gives a slow, even maturation. The open larch washbacks are a rare survival in modern Scotch. The distillery has become a place of pilgrimage for whisky enthusiasts.

At its natural 51.2% it is concentrated. Creamy vanilla and oak sweetness from the cask underpins brine, wax and a light peat note. The texture is rich and oily, the salt threaded through. A warming, oily finish lingers long. This is a complex, coastal Campbeltown whisky.