Springbank 20 Year Old Platinum Selection

Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum Selection. Single refill hogshead distilled July 1991 and bottled November 2011. This is the first time we have seen Springbank bottled under this label. Tasting notes sound wonderful! 158 numbered bottles. Hazelburn (Springbank)   Springbank Distillery is the oldest, independent and family owned malt whisky distillery in Scotland having been founded in 1828 in Campbeltown at the foot of the Mull of Kintyre on the west coast of Scotland. Springbank produces three different types of malt whisky including Hazelburn which is non-peated and triple distilled and was first produced in 1997 and first released at the age of 8 years in 2005. The barley is spread across traditional malting floors at Springbank where it germinates and is then dried by hot air on the perforated floor of the malt kiln. The name Hazelburn is in memory of  Hazelburn Distillery which was once one of the largest and now one of Campbeltown’s many lost distilleries and operated in the centre of the town from 1825 until 1925. The nose opens with a spicy, sea-weedy character and runs to ripe sugared banana plus oranges and a vanilla/cedar wood style.  The palate is initially light and subtle – dry (even desiccating) and spicy – then it develops to an attractive smoky and briny quality.  Spicy characteristics continue on the long sweet/woody finish which carries a gun powder tea style  - then runs to more wood, dark sea-weed, and soft leather.