Review | Springbank 21 Years Old

This whisky is the 2025 batch release of the revered 21 Years Old bottling from the Campbeltown distillery of Springbank. This limited edition was released on the same day in August as the brand new Springbank 5 Years Old 100° Proof. This batch features an intriguing combination of four cask types in differing percentages. The recipe is 65% ex-Port wine, 25% ex-bourbon, 5% ex-rum and 5% ex-sherry casks.

The Springbank distillery is located in the town of Campbeltown at the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the west Highland coast of Scotland. It is the oldest Scottish whisky distillery to be continuously family owned. The Mitchell family purchased it in 1837. However, it was founded in 1828 by the Reid family. Springbank remains owned by J&A Mitchell and Sons. They also own the nearby Glengyle distillery and Cadenhead’s independent bottlers.

Springbank currently operates at around 150,000 litres per year. It is one of very few distilleries to undertake all traditional steps of the whisky production process on one site. This includes peating, malting, distillation, maturation and bottling. Springbank forms much of the annual production but they also make heavily peated Longrow and triple distilled Hazelburn for shorter periods each year.

The Springbank 21 Years Old is a ‘celebration of true Victorian whisky production’ and bottled at 46% ABV. It is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It will be available via selected specialist whisky retailers in selected world markets, but on tight allocation. A bottle will cost £270.

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Our Tasting Notes

The colour is deep coppery gold and the nose is rich, decadent and luxurious. It displays a remarkable freshness for a whisky of this age with green apple, apricot and peach up front. Then come the dried fruits in the form of raisin, sultana and date. These are accentuated by hints of maple syrup, sticky toffee pudding and orange oil. Further hints of beeswax candle and cedarwood add depth. There is a gentle smoke, earthy and dusty undertone.

On the palate this whisky is silky, rich and elegant. Notes of plump raisin and sugary sultana mingle with brandy soaked prunes, honeyed dried fig and a hint apricot jam. Further fruit comes with dried apple and orange zest. A lovely note of caramel and dense Dundee cake marry with an underlying earthy and dusty peat smoke. This is gentle and smoulders in the background.

The beeswax and cedarwood are again evident, aloingside an evolving feel of antique furniture shop. A warming marriage of spice gives added complexity with cinnamon, mace and clove particularly prominent. Old cigar box, plus hints of treacle and molasses come through towards a slightly herbaceous and peppery end.

The finish is long and beautiful. The sweet and savoury characteristics linger superbly. First to fade is the fruit, then the sweetness. Finally the spices, while the delicate smoke smoulders away and leaves a slight ashy feel. Late tannins from the cask give a pleasant grip.

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What’s The Verdict?

This is a stunning, elegant, and luxurious single malt. There is so much depth and complexity, and it takes you on a journey from the nose to the lengthy finish. This 21 Years Old is a classic example of a mildly peated whisky and a Campbeltown whisky. It shows what can be achieved with significant age and good casking over a lengthy period of time. Easy to see why people all over the world scramble to get their hands on this bottling whenever Springbank release it. An absolute gem.