Springbank Distillery Picture Label 15 Years Old 1978

This official Springbank single malt, a 15 year old Campbeltown malt from 1978 and bottled at 46%. Established in 1828, Springbank is campbeltown's most revered surviving distillery. The distillery champions the old, slow, labour intensive way of making whisky.

The spirit was given Springbank's unusual two and a half times distillation, and condensed in traditional worm tubs. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, with vanilla under the oily fruit. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. Everything is done on site, the spirit going from still to cask to bottle in Campbeltown. 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. Demand far outstrips the small output, and bottles are keenly chased.

At 46% it is smooth and oily. An oily, maritime character with light peat are layered with a vanilla and toffee sweetness. Beneath it run oily fruit, salt and a coastal depth. Sea salt and fruit draw out the close. This is the flagship malt of old Campbeltown.