Springbank Private Bottling 19 Years Old 1998

An official Springbank single malt, a 19 year old Campbeltown malt from 1998, drawn from cask 433 and bottled at 50.1%. The outturn was 220 bottles. Springbank, founded in 1828 in Campbeltown, is famous for doing everything on site, from floor malting to bottling. The family owner also holds Cadenhead's, the oldest independent bottler in Scotland.

This was run through the distillery's part triple distillation, the malt floor malted and gently peated, with the spirit condensed in worm tubs. Ex-Sherry wood suited the heavy make, adding a dried fruit richness. By this age the maritime weight rounds into a richer, fuller malt. A patient maturation suits the rich, complex Campbeltown spirit. Kintyre's damp, mild climate suits a long and gentle maturation. The old town of Campbeltown once rivalled Speyside as Scotland's whisky heart. Quality and tradition, not volume, have always been the watchwords here.

At a full 50.1% it is bold and oily. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over dried fruit, fig and walnut. A waxy weight and a saline tang give it real body. A warming, oily finish lingers long. This is Springbank's rich, oily, maritime style.