Springbank Private Bottling 17 Years Old 2001

A distillery bottling of Springbank, aged 17 year old from 2001, drawn from cask 11/13-1 (141) and bottled at 53.8%. Springbank, founded in 1828 in Campbeltown, is a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Each bottling is filled and labelled in Campbeltown rather than shipped away.

This was run through the distillery's part triple distillation, the malt floor malted and gently peated, then cooled slowly in worm tubs. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed sweetness. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. Refill oak lets the distillery character lead, all oily weight and coastal salt. The open larch washbacks are a rare survival in modern Scotch. The distillery has become a place of pilgrimage for whisky enthusiasts. Kintyre's damp, mild climate suits a long and gentle maturation. The old town of Campbeltown once rivalled Speyside as Scotland's whisky heart.

At a full 53.8% it is bold and oily. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over vanilla, honey and coconut. The texture is rich and oily, the salt threaded through. A warming, oily finish lingers long. This is a complex, coastal Campbeltown whisky.