Springbank 15 Year Old

Springbank Distillery is the oldest independent, family-owned distillery in Scotland. Legal distillation began in 1828. The chairman is Hedley Wright, the great-grandson of John Mitchell, the first legal distiller of Springbank whiskey. Few Scottish distilleries still barely malt their barley, but Springbank is the only distillery that malts 100% of its barley using traditional floor malting. The production process—malting, milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation, maturation, and bottling—happens on one site in Campbeltown, which is unique in Scotland.

Springbank 15 Year Old is dark and ominous but delicious, like a storm gathering off the Kintyre coast. The richness comes from the high percentage of sherry casks used in maturation. This classic Springbank is best enjoyed after dinner or with your favorite cigar.

Aroma: Springbank's gentle giant. This dram is big and bold with notes of cured meat, barbecued beef jerky, clove, mint, iodine, oxo cube, and tinned prunes, all evident from the Oloroso cask maturation. At the same time, lobster creels hint at Springbank's characteristic maritime influence.

Palate: The peaty character is now evident with sooty kiln smoke and tobacco leaves prominent in this viscous tipple alongside prunes, walnuts, figs, Demerara sugar, cocoa powder, and smoked meats.

Finish: The finish grows and develops with soot, leather, and prominent walnut notes before easing off like the ebbing tide over one of Kintyre's pebble beaches.