Springbank 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Springbank 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Nearly two centuries ago, the town of Campbeltown, located on a narrow peninsula in southwest Scotland, was considered the whisky capital of the world. Passengers arriving by sea at Campbeltown Loch, nestled between Macringan's Point and the rocky island of Davaar, were greeted with the sails and masts of the herring fishing fleet and the smoking chimneys of nearly thirty different distilleries that called Campbeltown home. Two hundred years later, Campbeltown Loch is considerably quieter and only three chimneys continue to billow smoke each acting as a beacon for an industry that, at one point, dominated the peninsula. In 1828, Springbank Distillery was founded on the site of Archibald Mitchell's illicit still in Campbeltown (today, Mitchell's great-great-great-grandson owns the distillery). Within ten years, its whisky was so well-regarded that a blender by the name of John Walker purchased 118 gallons of whisky from Springbank at 43 pence a gallon. By the turn of the century as worldwide demand for Scotch whisky seemed insatiable distilleries throughout Scotland began cutting corners and outsourcing parts of the distillation process. Springbank Distillery, however, remained true to its Scottish heritage. Today, it remains one of only two distilleries in Scotland to perform every step of the whisky making process from malting barley to bottling whisky on the same premises. After malting and lightly peating the barley (using locally cut peat), Springbank Distillery mills and mashes it in cast-iron mash tuns that are nearly a century old. The pure spring water used during the mashing process is sourced from Crosshill Loch, which in turn is fed by crystal clear water seeping down the northern slopes of 1100-foot tall Beinn Ghuilean Mountain. After mashing the grains, the wash is slowly fermented over the course of 70 hours one of the longest fermentation processes in Scotland before being distilled 2.5 times (because some of the wash is distilled twice and some is distilled three times, Springbank Whisky is said to be distilled 2.5 times). Springbank 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky was distilled in May 1997 and aged in a single, re-charred sherry cask. Bottled in December 2012, it has lush notes of cherries, figs and dates, that are well-balanced by touches of cinnamon, honey and malt. The finish, which is long and warming, ends with a note of spice. Only 492 bottles of the whisky were ever produced. Springbank 16 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky was distilled in June 1996 and aged in a single, Amontillado sherry cask. Bottled in December 2012, it has notes of milk chocolate, figs and nougat that are complemented by hints of stone fruits and salty tang. Only 576 of this whisky were ever produced. Springbank 17 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky was distilled in June 1995 and aged in a refill sherry cask. Bottled in December 2012, it has strong notes of plums, apricots, dates and cherries that lead to an everlasting, sweet finish. Only 438 bottles of this whisky were ever produced. Pick up three rare, cask strength single malts today!