A single cask of Springbank, cask #398, distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2013 as a private bottling. It was filled at the distillery, matured in its Campbeltown warehouses and bottled at a natural 56.5% ABV.
About This Whisky
Private casks were filled for individual owners and bottled at the distillery, one cask at a time, so no two are quite alike. This one was distilled in 1998, a year after Hazelburn was first made, when regular production at Springbank had been back on its feet for less than a decade. It rested roughly 14 years in cask #398 before bottling in 2013, and it went into the bottle at full strength, with no chill filtration and no colour added.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Vanilla and barley, pear and green apple, a coastal note and some dry oak.
- Palate: Oily and strong, with sweet malt, lemon, pepper and a waxy, mineral core.
- Finish: Long, with brine, spice and a little earthy smoke.
Serving & Food
This one wants water. Pour a small measure into a nosing glass at room temperature, try it neat, then add a splash and let it settle for a few minutes. Smoked salmon on rye, grilled mackerel or a salty aged Gouda work well.
How to Enjoy
Springbank fans who enjoy single casks, and anyone marking a 1998 birthday or anniversary.
Product Details
Distillery: Springbank
Country: Scotland
Region: Campbeltown
Type: Private single cask bottling
Cask Number: #398
Vintage: 1998
Bottled: 2013
Age: 14 years old
ABV: 56.5%
Volume: 700mL
About the Distillery
Springbank's stillhouse is small and old-fashioned. There are three copper stills: a wash still, a low wines still and a spirit still. Unlike most distilleries, the wash still is heated by a live flame. Springbank spirit is distilled two and a half times, and the stillman watches the cut at the spirit safe. The same equipment makes Longrow, distilled twice, and Hazelburn, distilled three times, simply by changing how the runs are split. Springbank's own malt is only lightly peated.