Springbank Wood Expressions 12 Years Old 1997

An official Springbank single malt, a 12 year old release from 1997 and bottled at 54.4%. Just 9360 bottles were filled. Springbank has distilled in Campbeltown since 1828, a family distillery that malts and bottles every drop on site. The distillery sits in the heart of Campbeltown, near the head of its sea loch.

It was made by Springbank's singular two and a half times distillation, with the spirit condensed in worm tubs. Ex-Bourbon casks held the spirit, soft oak that lets the make lead. Around the mid teens the malt gains depth while keeping its oily salt. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, complex core over time. 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. The spirit is filled to cask and matured within the distillery walls.

At a full 54.4% it is bold and oily. A vanilla and toffee sweetness meets a salty, waxy depth with a whisper of peat. A waxy weight and a saline tang give it real body. The finish runs deep, briny and warm. This is Springbank's rich, oily, maritime style.