Springbank Private Bottling 20 Years Old 1997

An official Springbank single malt, a 20 year old Campbeltown malt from 1997, drawn from cask 97/288-8 and bottled at 57%. Springbank, run by J and A Mitchell since 1828 in Campbeltown, is a family distillery that malts and bottles every drop on site. Campbeltown was its own protected whisky region long before the revival.

This was run through the distillery's part triple distillation, the malt floor malted and gently peated, and slowly worm tub cooled. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Past twenty years the spirit turns waxy and profound while keeping its character. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, complex core over time. 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.

At a hearty 57% it carries real weight. A sherried dried fruit and nuts meets a salty, waxy depth with a whisper of peat. It is rich and layered, the fruit and salt well matched. A warming, oily finish lingers long. This is a hand made Campbeltown single malt.