Springbank Wood Expressions 13 Years Old 1989

A distillery bottling of Springbank, a 13 year old Campbeltown malt from 1989 and bottled at 54.2%. Only 3120 bottles were released. A family distillery since 1828, Springbank is a cult Campbeltown distillery with a devoted following. Water comes from Crosshill Loch, the barley malted on the distillery's own floors.

The spirit was drawn off after two and a half distillations of gently peated malt, and worm tub cooled in the old way. Maturation in a fortified wine cask lent red and dark fruit. Mid age brings a fuller fruit and a deeper coastal complexity. The cool, damp Campbeltown air by the sea gives a slow, even maturation. Demand far outstrips the small output, and bottles are keenly chased. 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.

At 54.2%, undiluted, it is deep and powerful. A briny, oily depth with a hint of peat ride on plum, cherry and red fruit. The mouthfeel is oily, the fruit carried on a salty body. Salt and oily fruit see out a long finish. This is the most traditional malt in Scotch.