Springbank

Campbeltown: From 30 Distilleries to Three

In the 19th century Campbeltown bore the title of "whisky capital of the world." In a town of fewer than ten thousand people more than thirty distilleries operated, and their whisky was highly prized in export markets. But the era of prosperity ended with US Prohibition, a decline in quality at some producers and a shift in market tastes. By the mid-20th century most distilleries had closed.

Springbank survived thanks to the conservatism of the Mitchell family. Archibald Mitchell purchased the distillery from the Reid family in 1828, and since then it has never changed hands. This is an exceptionally rare case in Scottish distilling: five generations of one family, an unbroken tradition of nearly two centuries. No corporate takeovers, no IPOs.

The decision to produce three completely different whiskies on the one site — Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn — reflects a philosophy of independence and experimentation. Longrow appeared in 1973 as a tribute to a distillery of the same name that existed in the 19th century. Hazelburn (triple distillation, unpeated) joined the line-up later.

Today Springbank is one of the most revered names in the whisky world. Its bottles consistently appear at the top of "best Scotch" lists among collectors and critics. The distillery consciously limits production volumes, choosing quality over quantity.

The Unique 2.5× Distillation

Springbank's defining production feature is 100% floor malting on its own malting floor. Most Scottish distilleries long ago outsourced this operation to industrial maltings. Springbank malts all its own barley, controlling every stage: steeping, germination and drying over a peat fire.

Distillation at Springbank takes place two and a half times — an unusual and almost unique method. The scheme works as follows: the wash passes through the wash still in full, then half the low wines are directed to an intermediate still for additional processing, after which all the distillate is finally redistilled in the spirit still. This gives the whisky its distinctive complexity and oiliness.

Longrow is produced using classical double distillation with heavy peat (55 ppm), while Hazelburn employs triple distillation (0 ppm) without peat in the Irish style. Three different approaches, three different results — from one production building.

Maturation and bottling also take place on-site in Campbeltown. Springbank is the only distillery in Scotland to have retained the full production cycle in a single place. No chill filtration, no colouring agents.

Flavour Profile: Springbank 10

Recommended: neat first to appreciate the full character, then a few drops of water to open up the tropical fruit. Glencairn glass. Temperature 16–20°C.

Three Brands, Endless Variations

• Springbank 10 Year Old

  Light peat (12 ppm), 2.5× distillation. The flagship. Complex, maritime, salty character.
  46%
• Springbank 15 Year Old

  More mature and elegant. The extra five years add nutty and chocolatey notes while preserving the maritime character.
  46%
• Longrow (Campbeltown NAS)

  The heavily peated version (55 ppm), double distillation. Smoky, intense, powerful. Stands on its own as a character.
  46%
• Longrow Red

  Special series finished in red wine casks (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, etc.). Smoke plus berries — an unexpected combination.
  51.8%+
• Hazelburn 10 Year Old

  Unpeated, triple distillation. Soft, floral, with vanilla and malt. Irish-style whisky from Campbeltown.
  46%
• Springbank Local Barley

  Barley grown within 30 miles of the distillery. A terroir experiment — whisky from the local land.
  54.5%±