Springbank 31 Years Old 1991 Old & Rare A Platinum Selection (Hunter Laing)

This is a Springbank single malt, chosen and bottled by Hunter Laing, aged 31 year old from 1991 and bottled at 49.3%. Only 188 bottles were released. Springbank, run by J and A Mitchell since 1828 in Campbeltown, is a family distillery that malts and bottles every drop on site. Campbeltown was its own protected whisky region long before the revival.

This was floor malted, lightly peated and distilled two and a half times, and slowly worm tub cooled. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. At three decades and more it is rich and oily, tropical fruit, beeswax and salt in a deep, old malt. Long maturation suits the heavy, characterful make, the cask knitting slowly with the spirit. Quality and tradition, not volume, have always been the watchwords here. The spirit is filled to cask and matured within the distillery walls. Few distilleries keep so much of the old craft alive under one roof.

At cask strength 49.3% it is muscular. Vanilla, cream and light coconut meets an oily, maritime character with light peat. Beneath it run oily fruit, salt and a coastal depth. It closes long, oily and salty. This is the flagship malt of old Campbeltown.