Scotland, Campbeltown: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Springbank

Description of the whisky

The distillery


Springbank Distillery

Springbank Distillery
Well Close
Campbeltown,
Argyll PA28 6ET
+44 1586 552 085 1828


Owner:J. & A. Mitchell Co. Ltd
Creation date 1828

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Founded in 1828 by Archibald Mitchell, Springbank has always been the property of the Mitchell family. Archibald is the great-grandfather of the current owner. From the very beginning, the know-how of Archibald Mitchell was universally recognized, and his malt was already purchased for a high price by the contemporary blenders .
In those days about 30 distilleries were active in Campbeltown, while the city just had 1969 inhabitants. One of the characteristics of the whisky produced then is their strongly peaty character, like some of the current Islay whiskies.
The peaty whisky being less to the taste of the blenders in the 1850's, Springbank was one of the first distilleries in Campbeltown to dry their malt above a coal fire. There were coal mines round the town.
Campbeltown's distilleries business was flourishing until the great financial crisis in 1930. From this date, the distilleries were obliged to close, the one after the other. Also Springbank had to close for years.
Less changes have occurred since its creation. Springbank is one of the only distilleries to produce its own malt for 100%.
Fermentation happens in wooden washbacks, and is specially slow. It takes about 70 hours.
Springbank also owns a bottling plant.
The distillery produces 3 different malts. The first, called Springbank is distilled 2,5 times. The malt is dried for 6 hours above a peat fire, then for 24 hours by warm air. The result is a slightly peaty malt. For the distillation, the wash is distilled a first time, the distillation body being separated from the head and tail. Then a part of the low wines is redistilled,also with separation of head and tail. The feints obtained by this process are then distilled with the low wines from the first distillation.
Maturation happens in several types of cask: bourbon, refill, rum, madeira or sherry.
The second malt produced by the distillery is the Longrow, named after an old neighbour distillery, closed since 1896 and whose last existing warehouse shelters Springbank's bottling plant. This malt is dried above a peat fire for 100%, and the taste is stronger. Longrow has a classic double distillation. Nowadays, Longrow is marketed as a 10 years old version, but a 15 years old version is foreseen when the spirit will be that old. The Longrow production was restarted in 1897. Longrow is exclusively matured in refill casks.
The distillation of the third malt began in 1996, and an 8 years old version will be marketed. Hazelburn, named after another distillery closed since 1925 will be available soon. The malt for Hazelburn is exclusively dried by warm air and the maturation happens in Bourbon casks for 100%.
About 70% of the production is marketed as single malt, the remaining entering in the blends Campbeltown and Mitchell 12 years.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

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Springbank: official bottlkings
 

Springbank 10 years


Age
10 years
Alcohol
46°
Bottler
Official
Particularity
Non chill filtered
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 

The colour is pale gold. The nose, very "Springbank" is charming (strawberry and vanilla hints).
The palate, frank and spicy confirms the nose.
The finis, sweet and salty is slightly oily and woody (oak).

(la Maison du Whisky)

Unfortunately, this bottle is not to compare with the 12 years old version which is not available on the market anymore. Far from the pleasure explosions in the mouth, this bottle stays however pleasant for the nose and the palate, however a hint of acidity could be disturbing. A too short finish does not save the bottling, which remains however a good Campbeltown malt...

The nose is rather complex, from vanilla to a kind of medicinal smell (ether?). The medicinal hints remain in the palate, but are dominated by some pleasant spicy touches. The finish is rather bitter and salted. A good bottle, but not to compare to other products which mad the reputation of Springbank, one of the last distilleries from Campbeltown.

The rather smooth nose is particularly marked by coconut. It is pleasant but not exceptional.In the mouth, the first attack is both malty and slightly woody, and the coconut is still there. The finish is pleasant, rather long and prolongs perfectly the mouth.
 

Comment by J.L. Zamora

Nose: refreshing, herbal, menthol, sea air. Palate: refreshing, toffe, spicy mint and late salt as if it was a question of a spray. A complex whisky where they are and a drink that must not get lost anybody .
85/100

Comments by Johannes Sauer

C.: Very pale, white wine
N.: A very strong and zesty nose in the beginning: Almost chloroformical, biting, with a hefty spritty, alcoholic attack. Later, after leaving the glass for a short time, a very different picture appears: It's not alcohol anymore domanting the nose, this is the most oaky nose I ever experienced. Deep beneath there are layers of friuts, coconut (pina colada) and burnt sugar surrounded by the oak.
T.: Very firm, but after this nosing-sensation the first impression is a little bit one-dimensional. No caribbean cocktails anymore, it's oakwood again. After adding one drop of water, there is far more complexity to discover: Bitter herbs combined with a very flattering sweetness (creme brulée) and cocoa powder.
F.: A big herbal crescendo, medical, ! very long traces of a very cheerful bitterness (radicchio).
Not having the pleasure to try the older bottling mentioned, I can state that this is a dram very worth trying.

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Springbank 10 years
100° Proof


Age
10 years
Alcohol
57°
Bottler
Official
Cask
Bourbon
Particularity
Non chill filtered
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Springbank 100 proof
Colour: Golden

Nose: Dried apricots are soon overpowered by buttery toffee and marzipan, finishing with a slight smokiness.

Palate :Sweet oakiness, very full bodied and rich. After the addition of water the whisky becomes almost floral in taste, whilst still maintaining a honeyed woodiness.

Finish : Lingering sweetness complimented by a hint of smoke.
(Springbank)
A slightly smoky nose with some discrete an very light medicinal hints. But rather soon the fruity character of this whisky, fresh and very promising appears. In the mouth, an complex explosion of tastes allying freshness and a kind of acidity to a sweet with some pleasant woody touches. dried fruit is also detected. A very nice finish as well, lingering and pleasant. A great Springbank.

A very interesting nose with farm hints, hay, and clearly peppered notes and announcing a nice complexity. Hints of smoke as well. In the palate, apart from the very first bitter acidity, the same impressions as at nosing, Very nice malt, beautiful complexity with a constant evolution between citrus and hazelnut. The finish is rather balanced, with both bitterness (unripe walnut) and freshness while remaining lingering. Despite the freshness (from slightly acid notes), the finish is very warm. Very nice bottle.

The nose presents very nice hints of sherry mixed with clear coconut notes. Very fresh and appealing nose. Marshmallow too. The mouth is wonderful. Nice blend of sherry and coconut with some acidity just for the freshness and a hint of wood for the deepness. Very nice mouth. Remarkable balance. The finish is lingering and pleasantly marked by coconut and sherry too.

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Springbank 12 years


Age
12 years
Alcohol
46°
Bottler
Official
Particularity
Non chill filtered
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
 

The 12 years old Springbank is amber, with a pleasant xeres and coconut nose.
It is rich and smooth in the palate, with a hint of bitter chocolate.
The taste is harmonious with a long pleasant and complex finish, unique in the world of single malt.

(la Maison du Whisky)

 

Just like all other whiskies from this mythic Campbeltown distillery, the 12 years old version is not chill filtered. The whisky is extremely complex and balanced, with smoke and peat hints, but not too much. A very great whisky, just for great occasions, because such a wonder deserves to be appreciated. One of the best whiskies I ever tasted.

A second tasting completely confirmed the first one. This wonderful whisky is unfortunately very difficult to find nowadays. a great fresh and spicy whisky, remarkably complex, balanced and refined. A real monument. What a whisky! What a distillery!

A pleasant mix of sherry and (discrete) coconut with a very slight touch of citrus fruit (orange) characterizes a rather complex nose. The same complexity in the palate, with however a bitter feeling, probably due to the wood of the cask. Just like an older whisky. The finish is lingering and pleasant, with also some slightly acid hints and bitter woody touches.

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Springbank 21 years


Age
21 years
Alcohol
46°
Particularity
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 The colour is deep amber. The nose, refined and elegant evokes a calvados (apple) with floral, vanilla, toffee hints, very fresh.
The nose confirms the nose with spicy and cereal touches.
The finish is really refined and elegant too.

(la Maison du Whisky)

 The first impression is the good one... as it is often for exceptional malts. The hast a feast of mixing fragrances with this rather complex and well balanced whisky. The palate reveals at the same tame spicy hints, mixed with malted sweetness while detecting some peat and smoke touches. The finish is exceptionally long and pleasant. A wonderful bottling, with however a tone down due to its price. I really recommend it, but is not affordable to everybody.

The second tasting began with the same feeling: I'm in front of a very great bottle.
Some malt mixed with some salt. Exotic fruits mixed with light hints of spicy smoke in the palate. An exceptional finish, exceptional because of its length and exceptional because of the happiness it gives.

The nose detects a great freshness, with fruity notes, recalling both apple and coconut on a background of discrete smoke. A rather complex nose. In the palate, the coconut and calvados are present, with clearly spicy but dry notes. A lingering finish, where all fragrances are recalled. An excellent whisky.

A very pleasant nose, with coconut and bee wax hints, exotic fruit and discrete spices and oddly some coffee notes. The mouth is also clearly fresh and rather complex. The finish is lingering and warm with nice touches of coconut and an impression of calvados on the background. After a while, some coffee notes reappear.
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Springbank
12 years Rum Wood


Age
12 years
Alcohol
54,6°
Particularity
Cask Strength
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
Cask
Rum
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 

The nose reveals sweet perfumed and slightly fruity fragrances. A hint of sea salt.
The taste confirms the nose, and a taste of red apples, pears and hedge fruits is dominant.
The finish is spicy, mentholated.

(la Maison du Whisky)

The rum finish is rather rare in the world of whisky. This bottling remains perfectly in the typical Springbank tones. A very pleasant cask strength where the high alcohol percentage does not hinder the appreciation. The nose reveals immediately all the fruity and sweet touches. A perfect balance between sweet and salty fragrances characterize the taste, prolonged by a remarkably long finish. A perfect wonder.

The nose is very pleasant and rather sweet, with some fruity citrus hints. In the palate, a very complex taste, with some smoky and spicy hints, and a general marine impression, salted. The long finish is fresh and spicy, and develops a full range of fragrances. The relatively high degree of alcohol does not matter to the taste. This bottle is probably the exception to the rule which says that distilleries of the traditional importance as Springbank should not participate in the trend of wood finishes.

The nose reveals some animal, meaty notes, on a malty and earthy background with hints of citrus fruit and a touch of ripe fruit. A complex nose failing to be really pleasant. The mouth, rather dry, is first slightly acid, developing quickly on malt with chocolate notes, and a clear impression of alcohol. The warm finish keeps the memory of alcohol while it developes pleasantly on malty and fruity (prune) hints.
.
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Springbank
13 years Port Wood


Age
13 years
Alcohol
54,2°
Particularity
Cask Strength
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
Cask
Port
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 The colour is amber. The nose is fruity with sorbet hints and the palate oily and smooth completes the whole.
The finish is dry, contrary to traditional Springbank's. In fact a puzzling malt.
 The nose reveals the port very soon. This surprising malt for a Springbank lover does not really reveal all the characteristic aromas of the great Campbeltown distillery, because they are hidden by the port. It remains a great bottling, even if I expected more "Springbank" and less Port. Do the great distilleries, producing such wonderful whiskies, really need to follow the fashion of special wood finish?

At the second tasting, the fruity and complex nose announced an excellent bottle. The palate, characterized by the Port sweetness and a little touch of bitterness confirmed the nose. The rather long and complex finish confirmed the nose and the palate and announced a great whisky. Springbank being a very great whisky, this version is just a great whisky. This port finish, even if it is very pleasant is a shame for a distillery like Springbank. But objectively, the result remains excellent.

The third tasting just confirmed the two first ones.

The rather rich, but slightly pungent nose is marked by fruits and a kind of acidity. In the palate, the high percentage of alcohol hides the flavours and the whisky misses some complexity. The finish is quie nice, fruity ant the acid hint is still present. The whole is a bit deceiving for that top distillery.
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Springbank
12 years Bourbon Wood


Age
12 years
Alcohol
58,5°
Particularity
Cask Strength
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
Cask
Bourbon
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 colour - intermediate
Nose - Full bodied, malty and sweet, without being sherried. An initially fruity nose develops toffee notes with a hint of vanilla.
Palate - Medium sweetness, becoming creamy before evolving into a sweet nuttiness, reminiscent of coconuts.
Finish - Medium length finish, leaving sweet floral notes on the tongue
(note from the producer)

I am definitely  not a fan of wood finishes from mythic distilleries whose traditional products are from the highest quality. This wood finish, even if it gives a good result, does not give the same happiness as a traditional bottling of Springbank. This malt smells really nice, is complex, mixing malt and citrus fruits, and the taste, dominated by the alcohol (this bottle has an alcohol degree of more than 58%) is pleasant without being comparable with other versions (in the tradition) Springbank uses to produce. The finish is a little bit too short as well.

The Bourbon finish is more discrete than others. But I immediately detected the sherry, despite the announcements of the producer. The bourbon brings some smoothness, but I still prefer the traditional Springbank. The finish remains very short, but the quotation is better than the first time.

The nose feels first some tingling's due to the high degree of alcohol. But after a while, a nice complexity appears, revealing the traditional Springbank coconut hints together with some sweet pleasant touches. In the palate, a kind of roundness with coconut hints mixed with some woody touches is rather nice. A beautiful and rather long finish too.

The nose is merely marked by malt, a touch of smoke and hints of fruits with something like a cloud of coconut smell above. The mouth is rather different, and the malty smoothness disappears and make room to some acid impression and the alcohol is very present in the palate. This acidity is quite aggressive, not just like nice fruity acidity. The finish is long and very marked by alcohol too, and the acidity dominating the mouth is dimming, leaving some room for nice coconut hints. Some remains of the sweetness of the nose come back too. This whisky is not really nicely balanced. The unbalance feeling between nose and mouth is rather unpleasant. A deception.

A nice fruity nose, with pear or peach fragrances. Some dry cut grass as well (just before it becomes hay), some acid notes and a touch of smoke on the background. Later some plum jam. Nice sensations. And later some discrete coconut touches. The mouth is rather fruity too, lots of taste and freshness. Apple alcohol. Or more precisely alcool and apples, as the alcohol impression dominates the mouth clearly. The finish is quite long, but merely marked by the memory of alcohol rather than by the extension of the whisky taste. Later on it developes on fresh fruit aromas, the same which already were present in the mouth and the nose.

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Springbank
175 anniversary
12 years


Age
12 years
Alcohol
46°
Particularity
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 12000 bottles of this special edition have been released in april 2003 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the distillery.
The colour is gold. The nose detects citrus (orange and lemon) mixed with honey sweetness. Hazelnuts and black chocolate hints are also present.
The taste reveals touches of smoke among rich hints of dried fruits. A pleasant complexity with vanilla, liquorice and coconut hints. A well balanced whisky, in the pure tradition of Springbank.
A sweet and long finish. A charming whisky, just as the distillery itself.
 After having tasted some marvels of this distillery, this version appears a bit poor. The nose is discrete and the taste poor. Mixes of citrus fruits with slightly smoked honey are the essential of the taste. We are far away from the taste explosions of the ole 12 years version. The finish is pleasant but too discrete. Not really what I expected from this exceptional distillery.

A second tasting made me change my mind over the generally negative impression from the first one. A greater complexity is revealed, marrying the slightly acid hints with the smoky traditional touches of a classic Springbank.

The nose is marked by some acid hints (citrus fruit) with a slight hint of smoke on the background and a kind of nut smell above. In the palate, a rather great variety of tastes, from the citrus acidity to malt through some light chocolate hints, a kind of sweetness and a kind of acidity. A rather long and sweet finish with a mix of vanilla and chocolate on a acid background.

A nice clear nose, spicy and rather strong. Pepper notes, fruits, appel or pear, a touch of peat and some smoke. The mouth is dry and slightly bitter, with some acid hints too, developing slowly on citrus acidity. The finish is relatively long and warm and leaves an impression of a slight woody bitterness as a memory.
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Longrow
10 years


Age
10 years
Alcohol
46°
Particularity
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
 
 

The colour is yellow gold. The nose is marked by peat and pine resin.
The palate restitutes with freshness the peat and the salty and spicy hints.
The finish is long, and recalls peaty malted barley.

(la Maison du Whisky)

 The happy few who can buy a bottle at this price can expect a marvelous product. They will not be deceived by this peaty version of Springbank. A wonderful bottling. A non chill filtered whisky with a very long finish, an unequalled aromatic complexity may be a little dominated by the peaty smoke (which is not spoiling). A whisky for great occasions. A pure wonder.

A complex nose dominated by the peat and some more subtle hints going from malted barley to citrus fruits. An extreme complexity in the palate too. A whole world between malted barley and peaty smoke, passing through the freshness of light spices and marin salt. A very beautiful finish where the peat hints keep coming back. An excellent bottle.

A very nice nose, a mix of malt and peat with some coffee touches and citrus fruit hints. In the palate, a spicy mix of exotic fruits, coconut and malted barley with some citrus again (giving the whole some freshness), on a peaty background. A nice finish, where the peat remains near nice fruity notes.

An exceptional nose, mixing peat notes with nice floral ones. Hints of those flowers used to make perfume... Lets add some citrus hinst, and the whole announces a very good bottle. In the mouth, the first impression is recalls some bitter wood, but the peaty notes appear very soon, together with salted and spicy hints. A very nice finish, lingering and pleasant, where the memory of peated malt carries on for long minutes, mixed with those of citrus and little whiffs of alcohol.
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Hazelburn
8 years
First edition


Age
8 years
Alcohol
46°
Particularity
Cask Strength
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Hazelburn first edition
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Springbank: independent bottlings
 

Springbank
1989
Signatory's Un-Chill filtered Collection


Age
12 years
Alcohol
46°
Particularity
Non chill filtered
Bottler
Signatory
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 
The nose does not announce a malt from one of the most mythic distilleries, last survivor of the most mythic area... I did recognize none of the remarkable qualities of a Springbank. Nor of those of a whisky from the Signatory Un chill filtered collection. A great deception which will be confirmed by the taste in the mouth, far from the pleasant complexity so characteristic of the wonderful distillery. A poor finish as well. A bottle to avoid. It is the exception which proves the rule...

The second tasting did not deny the first one. A neutral smell, followed by a taste without depth and ending by a finish leaving no memory...

The nose is rather rich, marked by citrus fruits, with a kind of bitterness and a remote hint of sherry. In the palate, the alcohol is a bit too present, and the citrus notes are first rather dominant and make room to sweeter fragrances after a while, malty hints and vanilla. The finish is short and does not leave any unforgettable remembrance... The impression left at this third tasting is however clearly better than the two first times.
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Springbank
Cask Collection
13 years


Age
13 years
Alcohol
57,3°
Bottler
Dewar Rattray
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Springbank 13 dewar rattray
The first nose is a subtle mix of sherry and coconut. Spices and fruit (plum jam and exotic fruits) come soon.
In the palate, a pleasant balance, continuing precisely the nose impressions is the first feeling, followed by some gentle malty notes before developing on some clearly alcohol notes,with an obvious presence of wood.
The finish is again the perfect extension of the mouth, and both wood and alcohol impression continue to develop in a kind of crescendo, before coming back on superb sherry notes, and after a while, coconut reappears as well. What an amazing finish.
Whiskies whose finish pleasure is greater than mouth and nose ones are quite seldom. This is a perfect example...
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Springbank: samples

Springbank
1996
Jean Boyer


Alcohol
46°
Bottler
Jean Boyer
A very clear nose, with spicy, peppery and mentholated notes giving this whisky an interesting freshness. Codonut, which is typical of Springbank, is present as well. The palate is very pleasant, spiced just like the nose was, and is rather complex and wel balanced. The finsih is not too long, but very pleasantly varied, from coconut to slightly acid hints, and a touch of alcohol despite its 46°. A very nice example of an independent Springbank.
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Springbank
16 years
Rum finish


Alcohol
54.2°
Bottler
Officiel
What a nice coconut nose with some peppery and fruity hints on the background. (Discrete) citrus fruit touches, green apple and plum jam as well. Very engaging nose anyway. The domination of pepper mixed with coconut improves with the time.
The first mouth is very pleasant as well, at least when the burning effect of the alcohol has been forgotten. Nice presence of coconut as well. Perfect balance between nutty notes, slightly acid (citrus) hints and spices.
The finish is long and prolongs perfectly the mouth. Hints of pepper, coconut and slightly woody notes prolong the pleasure for long minutes.
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Springbank
1997 Vintage


Alcohol
55.2°
Bottler
Officiel
The nose is marked by nice peppery notes and the traditional coconut is not far behind this dominant spicy hints. But there is not so much more. However the nose is very pleasant.
The first mouth is quite acid and marked by the alcohol before developing on ... alcohol. The acidity dims after a few moments, but is not really replaced by something else. One could expect quite more from a Springbank.
The finish is rather long and develops strangely on fruity notes which were clearly absent in the mouth
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Campbeltown

Campbeltown map

Campbeltown was once the undisputed capital of Scotch whisky. The town is situated at the end of the Mull of Kintyre peninsula, on the Western coast of Scotland, not far away from the Isle of Islay.
There is only one active distillery left (Springbank), another producing sporadically (Glen Scotia) and a new one (Glengyle) in an area where there were more than 30 of them in the early 1900's.

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Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information about the Campbeltown area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

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