• Founded: 1828
• Status: Operational
• Region: Campbeltown, Scotland
• Online: http://springbank.scot/

History Licensed in 1828, Springbank is one of the last surviving producers of single malt whiskies in Campbeltown, an area that once had over thirty active distilleries. The distillery produces three types of peated and unpeated malt whisky that it bottles under three distinct brands. The majority of its distillate is bottled as a single malt, with a small percentage sold to larger blenders or ending up in one of J&A Mitchell’s own blended scotch labels, such as Campbeltown Loch. It is owned by J & A Mitchell & Company, who also owns the Glengyle Distillery, the oldest independent bottler, William Cadenheads, and several blended scotch labels

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling

• Hazelburn 8 Year Old 2002 Sauternes Wood (2013) - Wow! for 8 years old this has a lot going on. A simply superb whisky that absolutely proves that age isn't everything! The balance between the peat of the spirit and the sweetness from the Sauternes cask is perfect. If anything the young age gives this a raw brutality to the whisky producing something more like a true Islay malt than a product of Campbeltown. 90/100
• Hazelburn 10 Years Old (2020) - Quite basic for a Campbeltown dram, not so much the dirty oily dockside/fishing boat but much more coastal, clean salt-laden air, mineralic chalk and plenty of citrus with a hint of vanilla. 84/100
• Hazelburn 10 Years Old Rundlets and Kilderkins (2014) - An intense 10 years old Hazelburn that tastes older than its years due to small cask maturation. A little rough around the edges perhaps but then aren't all "Springbank" whiskies in a good way. 86/100
• Hazelburn 12 Years Old (2014) - Yum, I enjoyed this one a lot. Plenty of sherry wood character in here but matched with the malt and oaky wood character also. This Hazelburn still has that Springbank meaty, malty and a little machine oil character but is more sprightly and carries the tannic, dried fruit and nut sherry-influence with pride. 87/100
• Hazelburn 13 Years Old 2007 (2021) - A superb Hazelburn expression in which the spirit nature has been matched to (mostly) ex-bourbon maturation, soft citrus fruits and biscuity cereals accentuated with a touch of sherry sweetness and Campbeltown maritime/salt influences. 87/100
• Hazelburn 14 Years Old 2000 Rum cask (2018) - Hazelburn 14 Years Old 2000 Rum Cask Whisky Review: Sweet and spiced, pleasant but not overly complex, a good solid drinker. 84/100
• Hazelburn 14 Years Old 2002 Cognac cask (2018) - Hazelburn 14 Years Old 2002 Cognac Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review: An interesting expression, really sweet and fruity, well-spiced and borders on becoming a little woody and tannic towards the finish. I'm not sure what I was expecting with this but it appears to carry a lot of classical 'Cognac' flavours whilst keeping that slightly musty and dirty "Springbank" sweetened barley malt backbone. I could really grow to like this one, lets hope they bottle the remainder of the cask soon. 87/100
• Longrow 7 Years Old 2000 Gaja Barolo (2020) - Longrow 7 Years Old 2000 Gaja Barolo whisky review: A superb expression, perhaps a touch spirity/alcoholic which belies its youth but a complete absence of spice means this mixture of smoke and red fruits is an absolute winner for me. 89/100
• Longrow 15 Years Old 2001 Sherry Cask (2020) - Longrow 15 Years Old 2001 Whisky Review: A touch oily and closed and quite creamy in texture. Straight forward sherry and peat but with further sampling what at first seems simple is really quite accomplished, a single cask that is on par with a married standard expression. 89/100
• Longrow 18 Years Old Heavily Peated (2014) - Longrow 18 Years Old Heavily Peated (46%, OB, 2014) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, £85.58 Score: 84/100 What they say: A double distilled, heavily peated single malt from Springbank, Longrow […]
• Longrow Red 11 Years Old Cabernet Franc (2020) - Longrow Red 11 Years Old Cabernet Franc Whisky Review: Sadly not heavily red wine influenced, a competent expression whose fruitiness struggles to compete with the peaty and spicy nature, much preferred the Gaja Barolo. 84/100
• Longrow Red 11 Years Old Port (2014) - Longrow Red 11 Years Old Port Casks ~ 51.8% (J & A Mitchell) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 51.8% ABV, £58 for 70cl Score: 86/100 What they say: Another edition of Longrow’s […]
• Longrow Red 12 Years Old Pinot Noir (2016) - Longrow Red 12 Years Old Pinot Noir (52.9%, OB, 2016) Category: Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky Origin: Springbank Distillery Bottling: J & A Mitchell & Company ABV: 52.9% Cost: £54.39 What they […]
• Springbank 9 Years Old 2004 Gaja Barolo (2015) - Nicely balanced between the character of the Springbank spirit and Cask maturation. Enough fruit to liven this on up without becoming overpowering and in some aspects adds a distraction from the dirty peaty and slightly coastal nature of Springbank though it is still evident under all that rich fruit. 85/100
• Springbank 9 Years Old 2006 Open Day (2016) - Gentle & light!, refreshing, sun-baked leather, salt, dry new wood all combine to be quite palate cleansing, not your average Springbank it would seem! 85/100
• Springbank 10 Years Old (2014) - Springbank 10 Years Old (46%, OB, 2014) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, £32 for 70cl Score: 84/100 What they say: The original Springbank whisky has been distilled legally on the […]
• Springbank 10 Years Old (2021) - Yum, a super expression with salt, smoke, sherry and barley malt influences throughout. A complex classic Campbeltown. 86/100
• Springbank 12 Year Old 2003 Single Cask (2016) - Rich, fruity, tannic and malty - perfect! 84/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old (2021) - This is a touch more closed initially than the 10yo but full of similar notes. Interestingly this batch (Batch 21, May 2021, 55.4%) has been constructed from 50:50 bourbon:sherry casks whereas previous editions have been reported at 35:65. There is more baked fruits here and some tarter citrus and earthier cranberry present. 86/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old 2001 Single Cask (2016) - A little odd this expression, fluffy and pink but also strongly tannic and malty - somewhere in the middle of this transition this seems to come together and work wonderfully. A little chameleon of a dram this one! 83/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old 2004 Port Cask (2018) - Springbank 12 Years Old 2004 Port Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review: A rather dirty and burnt, peaty and sweetened port-influenced Springbank. Perfect! 88/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old 2004 Sherry Cask (2018) - Springbank 12 Years Old 2004 Refill Sherry Butt Whisky Review: Bitter and peaty thanks to the moderated cask maturation but still a mouthful of juicy dried fruits in here that brings this dram to life. Even the more "off" notes, metallic, liqourice and aniseed sort of belonged in this dram. The sort of whisky I'd describe as putting hairs on your chest, quiet invigorating or energizing this one. 86/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old Burgundy (2016) - Robust, gentle cask influence on a solid Springbank backbone. Tannic, spice and herbal red fruits. I was hoping for something much more full-on in red wine influence but this is more balanced between spirit, wine and cask. 83/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old Cask Strength Batch 11 (2016) - Easy drinker, the ABV doesn't really reveal itself though there is a dry powdery spice to this batch which probably masks any spirit heat. After the initial challenge to the palate the fruity, malty and slightly cocoa nature unravels to great effect. Another great batch from Springbank. 85/100
• Springbank 12 Years Old Cask Strength Batch 6 (2014) - Springbank 12 Years Old Cask Strength Batch 6 50.3% (J & A Mitchell) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 50.3% ABV, £47 for 70cl Score: 85/100 What they say: Springbank 12 Year Old cask […]
• Springbank 12 Years Old Green (2015) - Springbank Green 12 Years Old (46%, OB, 2015) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, £60 for 70cl Score: 83/100 What they say On Monday 17th November 2014, we released two special […]
• Springbank 14 Years Old 2002 Rum Cask (2018) - Springbank 14 Years Old 2002 Rum Cask Whisky Review: A touch spicier and more bitter, I did prefer the Hazelburn though not by much. This has some lovely funk and engine oil dirtiness I associate with Springbank but just enough sweetness from the spirit and the rum cask to keep it palateable. I feel the more rum-casked whiskies I have the less that Rum-cask maturation brings to the party - to the point I am not actively seeking any more. 83/100
• Springbank 15 Years Old (2013) - Springbank 15 Years Old (46%, OB, 2013) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, RRP £47.50 for 70cl Score 90/100 What they say: Like a storm gathering of the Kintyre coast, dark […]
• Springbank 15 Years Old (2016) - This 15 year old batch from Springbank was impressive as usual but much drier and more tannic than I remember from the 2013 batch, a lovely presentation of powdered cinnamon but maybe lacking in the deep dark chocolate which we love so much. 85/100
• Springbank 15 Years Old 2002 Sherry Cask (2020) - Springbank 15 Years Old 2002 First fill Sherry Hogshead Whisky Review: A classic single cask expression that displays many of the qualities the official Springbank 15 year old is built on, a delight to sample this one. 87/100
• Springbank 16 Years Old 1991 Rum Wood (2016) - Quite savoury in places and redolent of lots of nice cooking/cookery ingredients, herbal, nutty and zesty make a great combination, quite moreish too. 90/100
• Springbank 16 Years Old 2000 Single Cask (2016) - Very nice, but perhaps a little too spiced, dry and tannic for my liking. 84/100
• Springbank 16 Years Old 2016 Local Barley (2016) - Divine, a superb expression, just wow! 90/100
• Springbank 16 Years Old Madeira Cask (2014) - Springbank 16 Years Old Madeira Cask 56% (J & A Mitchell) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 56% ABV, £160 for 70cl Score: 85/100 What they say: A 16 year old Campbeltown single […]
• Springbank 17 Years Old Sherry Wood (2015) - A classic Springbank expression with pure sherry maturation using a high proportion of Oloroso casks, perfectly drinkable at 52.3% ABV. Dark fruits and masses of cocoa and tannins beautifully balance that dirty, oily and earthy peat smoke. If anything the Springbank maltiness takes a back seat here, filling out the body and supporting all those wonderfully strong sherry flavours. At just over 9,000 bottles you had better snap this up fast if you want to try it! 89/100
• Springbank 18 Years Old (2015) - A little spicier than the beloved (of us) Springbank 15 Years Old. A touch of pepper and Aniseed in the 18yo and too much oak influence perhaps found us enjoying this one a fraction less than the 15yo but it is still very enjoyable. I missed some of the earthy/dirty peatiness that I really love in Springbank whisky. 88/100
• Springbank 19 Years Old 1997 (2016) - Extremely nice, a little crystalline/fragile in the finish with hints of menthol and eucalyptus which I assume come from the re-char cask influence but still plenty of sherry in here too as well as core Springbank quality! 89/100
• Springbank 21 Years Old 1995 Single Cask (2016) - Understated, muted even, this whisky tantalises and teases with a range of classic Springbank flavours which subtly swirl around in this dram. A great cask selection and definitely one to savour and get lost in. A reverie dram. 90/100
• Springbank Distillery Visitors 2015 (2016) - Just lovely, a touch tannic and spicy in the finish but carries it well. I may just have to visit again soon! 88/100
• Springbank Open Day 2015 (2016) - Rich and smooth but very very citrus zesty, an odd fruit tinge - wine cask? (tasted blind) 87/100

Independent Bottling

Cadenhead

• Longrow 12 Years Old 2002 Sherry Cask (2020) - Longrow 12 Years Old 2002 Sherry Cask Whisky Review: A hint of rubber at first but this quickly dissipates leaving a sweet and oily combination of sherry and peat smoke which is really quite lovely. 88/100
• Springbank 19 Years Old 1997 (2016) - Extremely nice, a little crystalline/fragile in the finish with hints of menthol and eucalyptus which I assume come from the re-char cask influence but still plenty of sherry in here too as well as core Springbank quality! 89/100

Douglas Laing

• Springbank 21 Year Old 1993 Old Particular (2016) - A classic Springbank, perhaps a lot less sherry influence in here than most will be used to, but that just makes it more lovable. It is rugged and is definitely a dram to take camping or when you really need to warm your cockles after a hard days fishing or being outdoors. 88/100

Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS 27.107 To the manor born (2015) - Springbank 16 Years Old 1998 27.107 To the manor born (56%, SMWS, Refill Sherry Gorda, 775 Bottles, 2014) Campbeltown single malt scotch whisky 56% ABV Score: 88/100 What they say: Thick, old […]
• SMWS 27.108 A savoury experience! (2015) - Although there was a lot to like in the flavours of this Springbank expression from SMWS, I found it a little too rough around the edges for my liking. Too vinegary on the nose and too much liquorice presentation on the palate that suggested not the most active of casks to me. At the end of the day there was still plenty of good Springbank character in here to keep this interesting or it would have scored much lower. 79/100

Whisky Broker

• Springbank 15 Years Old 1999 Rum Cask (2016) - This has a lovely polished toffee/spun sugar feel (i.e. the type that makes your teeth feel cleaner or polished after eating!), sour and salty this is quite nice and moreish. 84/100
• Springbank 18 Years Old 1996 Sherry Cask 491 (2016) - Great expression, well-rounded but lacked a little impact for us. Needed more depth and strength of fruits or chocolate or something. 85/100