Springbank Longrow 1973 Cask #1973/1723

This official Longrow single malt from 1973, drawn from cask 1973/1723 and bottled at 43.2%. Springbank, run by J and A Mitchell since 1828 in Campbeltown, is run much as it was a century ago. The cult around Springbank has made it one of the most collected of all malts.

This was double distilled from heavily peated, floor malted barley, then condensed through worm tubs. Ex-Bourbon casks held the spirit, soft oak that lets the make lead. No age is given, but the oily depth marks it as classic Campbeltown make. Years in oak deepen the fruit and the maritime character together. 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. Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn each show a different face of the one distillery.

Reduced to 43.2%, it is mellow. Vanilla, honey and coconut from the cask underpins heavy smoke over brine and wax. A coastal salt and an orchard fruit lift it. The close is rich, fruit over a saline depth. This is a robust, smoky Campbeltown whisky.