Springbank Single Cask – Briana’s Choice 17 Years Old 1996

This official Springbank single malt, aged 17 year old from 1996, drawn from cask 13/306 and bottled at 56%. The outturn was 149 bottles. A family distillery since 1828, Springbank is prized for its rich, oily, hand made spirit. Small output and a cult following keep its bottles allocated and keenly sought.

The spirit was given Springbank's unusual two and a half times distillation, the vapour cooled in worm tubs. Ex-Sherry wood suited the heavy make, adding a dried fruit richness. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. Long maturation suits the heavy, characterful make, the cask knitting slowly with the spirit. 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 natural 56% it is full and oily. A coastal, waxy spirit with gentle peat meet dried fruit and a walnut richness from the cask. Soft fruit and brine sit behind the cask sweetness. Sea salt and fruit draw out the close. This is a revered Campbeltown single malt.