Springbank Society Bottling 18 Years Old 1997

A distillery bottling of Springbank, an 18 year old release from 1997 and bottled at 58.9%. Only 502 bottles were released. Springbank has distilled in Campbeltown since 1828, a survivor of Campbeltown's great whisky era. Each bottling is filled and labelled in Campbeltown rather than shipped away.

It was made by Springbank's singular two and a half times distillation, then cooled slowly in worm tubs. A sherry cask wrapped the oily spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. 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. Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn each show a different face of the one distillery. 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.

Undiluted at 58.9%, it is intense. Brine, wax and a light peat note sit over dried fruit and a walnut richness. The texture is rich and oily, the salt threaded through. The finish runs deep, briny and warm. This is a complex, coastal Campbeltown whisky.