Campbeltown Loch 2022 - 46%

Notes from The Spirits Embassy: 

An unmistakeable Campbeltown Whisky: Initial sweet, softer notes of fruit, honey and butterscotch give way to reveal more complexity with traditional maritime and spice notes combining with the subtlest touch of peat smoke. 

Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Vatted and bottled at Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown.

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thin legs.

Nose: Coastal brine, dunnage, honey, ripe orchard fruit, vanilla, caramel toffee and a slight mineral note.

Palate: A sweet, oily entrance. Scottish tablet, stewed apple and pear, honey, vanilla custard, a little zesty citrus, malted milk biscuits, baking spices, subtle peat smoke and that salty minerality you find in coastal rocks. Water brings a little more fruit and enhances the smoke a little but isn't needed.

Finish: Medium long, gentle notes of dunnage and peat smoke come to the fore along with a lingering sweetness, cooling mint and mild peppery spice.

Summary: From the nose to the finish this is unmistakeably Campbeltown in character. The dunnage note immediately transports you to the warehouse at Springbank, whilst that maritime salt note is a constant feature of so many of the malts from the region. 

It's well balanced and carries a degree of complexity whilst managing to convey elements from each of it's constituent parts. Overall it's a very good whisky, and one which again shows the quality that can be had from a well constructed blended malt.

At a price around the £40 mark I would gladly buy a bottle or two, which sadly leads us on to the problem of availability. This is another release that has suffered from the same chaotic flipper-driven stampede as every other bottling from Springbank owners J&A Mitchell & Co. this year, and is currently as rare as rocking horse manure outside the secondary market. If you find one in the wild, grab it with both hands.

Final words on this one have to go to Alan Cameron, who immortalised the place in his folk song of the same name...

Oh! Campbeltown Loch, Ah wish ye were whisky!
Campbeltown Loch, Och Aye!
Campbeltown Loch, I wish ye were whisky!
Ah wid drink ye dry.

 Campbeltown Loch

Transparency: This sample was part of a 5 dram sample set, purchased from The Spirits Embassy. No goods or other incentives were exchanged, offered or requested for this independent review.