Springbank distillery has been owned and operated by the Mitchell family in Campbeltown since 1837, and it one of Scotland's most revered distilleries. Following a brief mothballing between 1979 and 1987, upon the reopening the decision was taken to cease all sales to the blending industry and focus on its single malt sales. Today it is the only distillery to malt, distil, bottle and mature whisky on the same site, and produces three distinct and highly prized single malts.

A tropical storm hits Campbeltown with this now highly collectible Springbank, fully matured in a rum butt.

Distilled in June 1973 and bottled in September 1991 by sister company, Wm. Cadenhead.

Wm. Cadenhead is Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, founded in 1842 by George Duncan. His brother William Cadenhead joined the company in 1952, taking over after George’s death in 1958. The company got into the whisky bottling business after 1904, when his nephew Robert Duthie took over, and since its sale to J&A Mitchell in 1972, Wm. Cadenhead has become on of the most sought after names in whisky.

This one was nicknamed the ‘green Springbank’ and it’s a truly legendary bottling – there were two versions, actually, both fully matured in rum butts instead of just finished like the distillery did in more recent times. Some say it was a mistake… If it’s true, some mistakes have very happy outcomes! Colour: orange – bronze (don’t worry, it’s not plain green). Nose: powerful, starting on raisins (sultanas but also Smyrna) and candy sugar. It’s not hugely rich (especially after the 1965 and despite the long pause). Unusual notes of candied citrons and apricots, seaweed (really), lemon-flavoured yoghurt, coconut (is that Springbank or the rum?) The sultanas grow even bolder after a moment, it gets also a little like a marc… Do I like it? Yes, it’s fabulous, even if a little confusing at the start. Mouth: now it’s thick and fat, almost greasy. Lots of nuts, olive oil, sultanas (of course), prunes… It’s not hot but very warming! Crystallised oranges, kumquats, and pineapple, coconut milk, blackcurrant jelly, light caramel, barley water, sugar cane cordial… Amazing! Gets then minty and camphory just like the 1965… And the finish, even if not as long as the 1965’s, is still pretty long, sweeter, more civilized and jammier (lots of oranges). Maybe not as spectacular as the 1965 but still totally fabulous, no wonder this has now become a cult bottle. Can’t you just make the same again in Campbeltown!? I mean, exactly the same…