Springbank Distillery

Archibald Mitchell licensed the distillery in 1828, establishing it on the site of a previous illicit still operation that he had been running. The Mitchell family had settled in Campbeltown from the Lowlands in the 1660s, some already working as maltsters. Archibald had previously been a partner at Rieclachan Distillery from 1825 before setting up independently. In 1837, the distillery passed to his sons John and William Mitchell, who formalised the family partnership as J&A Mitchell & Company. In 1838, John Walker of Kilmarnock purchased 118 gallons from the distillery — an early endorsement from the man who would go on to create the world's most famous blended Scotch.

William Mitchell went on to found Glengyle Distillery in 1872. By 1891 Campbeltown had become, per capita, one of the wealthiest towns in Britain, with Springbank at the heart of its remarkable concentration of distilleries — at its peak, over thirty were operating in the town. The industry's collapse in the early twentieth century (driven by Prohibition, overproduction, and economic depression) reduced Campbeltown to two survivors: Springbank and Glen Scotia. Glengyle was revived by Hedley G. Wright — great-great-grandson of Archibald Mitchell — in 2004.

Longrow was first distilled in 1973 as an experimental heavily peated variant, reviving a style lost in Campbeltown. Hazelburn followed in 1997 as an unpeated, triple-distilled expression. Each follows its own malting, distillation, and cask protocol within the same walls, producing three whiskies as different in character as any three distilleries in Scotland.

Springbank is also the parent company of William Cadenhead, the oldest independent bottler in Scotland, founded in Aberdeen in 1842 and still operating from Campbeltown today. Following the death of Hedley G. Wright in 2023, ownership of the Springbank, Glengyle, and Cadenhead businesses passed into a trust structure with family board representation, preserving the independence that defines the operation.

Springbank operates three copper pot stills: one wash still of approximately 10,000 litres and two spirit stills of approximately 6,000 litres each. One still uses direct-fire heating; two use steam. Worm-tub condensers are used throughout, contributing to the oily, complex character of the spirit.

The floor maltings handle 100% of the barley requirement — a commitment to tradition that requires significant additional labour compared to modern mechanical malting. Peat from Islay is used to kiln the malt, with drying duration varied to create the three distinct peat levels: Springbank receives six hours of peat plus thirty hours of hot air, creating light peat at approximately 12 ppm; Longrow receives 48 hours of peat smoke for heavy peating; Hazelburn receives 30 hours of hot air only for zero peat.

The 2.5-times distillation of Springbank is unique: the wash is distilled once in the wash still, then a portion of that low wines is redistilled along with the next wash run, before a final spirit still pass. This unusual method produces exceptional complexity. Fermentation is conducted in traditional wooden washbacks. Annual capacity is approximately 750,000 litres. Water is sourced from Crosshill Loch.

Springbank 10 Year Old (46% ABV, lightly peated, 2.5× distilled): Moist earth and light peat on the nose alongside apple, lemon, peach, and a briny quality with faint floral blossoms. The palate delivers cereal sweetness, spicy peat, and salted caramel. A medium finish of briny sea air, a touch of bitterness, and lingering spice.

Longrow (heavily peated, double-distilled): Intense, brooding, and smoky. Leather, sooty petrol, and savoury notes lead the nose; the palate is a spicy bomb of aromatic smoke; the finish lingers with rooibos tea and cherry-smoked meat character. A uniquely Campbeltown take on heavy peat.

Hazelburn (unpeated, triple-distilled): Light, clean, and delicate throughout. Fresh red and green apple, lemon oil, honey, and a faint mustiness on the nose. The palate is clean and earthy with mushroom, lemon oil, and chilli spice. The finish brings toffee apple, fresh honey, fragrant pears, and vanilla — oily and sweet.

Tours at Springbank are among the most sought-after distillery experiences in Scotland, given the working floor maltings and the depth of history on site. Options include:

• Springbank Tour — £15 per person, approximately 1 hour
• Kilkerran Tour (sister distillery) — £12 per person, approximately 1 hour
• Barley to Bottle Tour — £250 per person, 4–5 hours, full hands-on access
• Eat, Sleep, Dram, Repeat — £950 per person, 4-day immersive experience
• Cadenhead's Warehouse Tasting — £45 per person
• Kilkerran Warehouse Tasting — £40 per person

The Washback Bar is on the distillery grounds. Cadenhead's Tasting Room is on Bolgam Street, Campbeltown. The distillery shop stocks core range, limited editions, hand-filled bottles, and cask samples. Tours book well in advance; book through springbank.scot.