Springbank 33 Years Old 1951 Dumpy Bottle (Cadenhead’s)

This Springbank was from the independent bottler Cadenhead's, aged 33 year old from 1951 and bottled at 46%. Springbank, founded in 1828 in Campbeltown, is a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Concerto barley is malted on the floors and kilned in the distillery's own kiln.

This was floor malted, lightly peated and distilled two and a half times, then cooled slowly in worm tubs. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, lending vanilla and honey. Very old Campbeltown make turns profound, oily and tropical with a coastal salt. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, complex core over time. Few distilleries keep so much of the old craft alive under one roof. Campbeltown was once the whisky capital of the world, with more than thirty distilleries at its peak. Today just three distilleries survive in the old Kintyre whisky town. The maritime warehouses by the sea lend the malt its briny, oily depth.

At 46% it is soft, oily and coastal. A coastal, waxy spirit with gentle peat sit over vanilla, honey and coconut. It is rich and layered, the fruit and salt well matched. The finish is long, waxy and briny. This is the cult Campbeltown malt from J and A Mitchell.