Springbank Longrow 2007 (56.3%)

This Longrow, an official release, aged 9 year old from 2007 and bottled at 56.3%. 1134 bottles in all. Springbank, run by J and A Mitchell since 1828 in Campbeltown, is the most traditional distillery in Scotch, malting all its own barley. Bottles are released in small batches, often through ballots to meet the demand.

This was distilled twice from malt kilned over plenty of peat, the vapour cooled in worm tubs. A wine cask gave a fruity, spiced depth to the make. At this age the spirit is vivid and oily, the fruit and salt to the fore. Worm tub condensing and an oil fired wash still build the rich, oily texture the distillery is known for. 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.

At cask strength 56.3% it is muscular. Honey, apricot and a candied sweetness from the cask underpins heavy smoke over brine and wax. Soft fruit and brine sit behind the cask sweetness. The close is rich, fruit over a saline depth. This is a robust, smoky Campbeltown whisky.