Springbank Longrow 1989

An official Longrow single malt, a 13 year old release from 1989 and bottled at 53.2%. Just 2350 bottles were filled. Springbank is a Campbeltown distillery distilling since 1828, one of only three distilleries left in Campbeltown. Each bottling is filled and labelled in Campbeltown rather than shipped away.

It was made by double distillation of heavily peated Campbeltown malt, then cooled slowly in worm tubs. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. By this age the maritime weight rounds into a richer, fuller malt. The oily, robust make carries cask flavour while holding its own character. Today just three distilleries survive in the old Kintyre whisky town. The maritime warehouses by the sea lend the malt its briny, oily depth. 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.

Bottled at a cask strength 53.2%, it is rich. Dried fruit, fig and walnut meets a coastal peat smoke with a briny depth. The texture is rich and oily, the salt threaded through. The finish is long, waxy and briny. This is Springbank's heavily peated Longrow.