24.05.2025
Springbank Local Barley: The Essence of Terroir
Springbank Local Barley: The Essence of Terroir
The Essence of Springbank: Local Barley at Its Finest
Have you ever focused on how whisky is made? Where do the ingredients come from? What is the significance of the source of water for whisky? The origin of barley? malting? Anyone even a little interested in whisky knows that to create the "water of life" you need:
- water
- Barley (malted)
This is the first key because to create a drink you need large quantities of it to obtain the final product, previously mixed with the mash also gives the whisky a taste. Barley, or the base, most often bought from malt houses where in specially designated places it is dried over glowing peat, which additionally enriches the taste of whisky.
Did you know? Springbank as a distillery has three versions of the golden drink and they are peated to varying degrees:
- Hazelburn - almost no peat
- Springbank - medium peated
- Longrow - the most peated version of the drink
When we think of local barley, we of course think of the first released Springbank Local Barley, a 36-year-old from the 1965 vintage, where all the raw materials came from the Campbeltown area. The legend and exceptional quality of Springbank Local Barley grew over the years and gained its fans. This series is real liquid gold because the prices of the older editions are quite high. The series lasting from 2016 to last year consists of various vintages, a combination of barrels and used barley, of course from the surrounding fields.
Springbank 8 Years Old Local Barley
Year: 2024 Age: 8 y.o Abv: 58.1% Cask: 50% bourbon + 50% sherry Number of bottles: 13,500 Label: Bere Barley from High Ranachan (Peninsula, Kintyre)
Springbank 13 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2023 Age : 13yo Abv: 54,1% Number of bottles: 8400 Cask type: 60% Bourbon, 40% Sherry Label: Belgravia Barley from Glencraigs Farm
Springbank 11 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2022 Age: 11yo Abv: 55,1% Number of bottles: 15000 Cask: 55% Sherry, 35% Bourbon, 10% Rum label: Belgravia Barley from Glencraigs Farm
Springbank 10 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2021 Age: 10yo Abv: 51,6% Cask type: 100% Bourbon Number of bottles: 15000 Label: Belgravia Barley from Glencraigs Farm
Springbank 10 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2020 Age: 10yo Abv: 55,6% Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Number of bottles: 8500 Label: Belgravia Barley from Glencraigs Farm (Peninsula, Kintyre)
Springbank 10 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2019 Age: 10yo Abv: 56,2% Cask type: 77% Bourbon, 20% Sherry, 3% Port Number of bottles: 9000 Label: Optic Barley from High Cattadale Farm (Peninsula, Kintyre)
Springbank 9 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2018 Age: 9yo Abv: 57,7% Number of bottles: 9700 Cask type: 80% Bourbon & 20% Sherry Label: High Cattadale Farm, Optic Barley
Springbank 10 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2017 Age: 10yo Abv: 57,3% Cask type: 70% Bourbon, 30% Sherry Number of bottles: 9000 Label: West Backs Farm, Belgravia Barley
Springbank 11 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2017 Age: 11 yo Abv: 53,1% Cask type: 100% bourbon Number of bottles: 9000 Label: Bere barley from Aros Farm (Peninsula, Kintyre)
Springbank 16 Years Old Local Barley
Age: 16yo Abv: 54,3% Number of bottles: 9000 Cask type: 80% Ex-Bourbon, 20% Ex-Sherry label: Prisma barley from Low Machrimore farm (Peninsula, Kintyre)
Springbank 36 Years Old Local Barley
Bottled: 2001 Age: 36yo ABV: 5 different: Not applicable – this bottle has a single strength: 50.5% ABV Number of bottles: 528 Cask: Sherry & Bourbon casks (combination) Label: Springbank Local Barley 1965 – watercolor-style Campbeltown landscape, vintage design
About the author
Damian Baran
I am in love with the world of whisky since 2021 after the first films about testing and discovering flavors. the story began with a bottle of Talisker 10, earlier of course brands such as glendifich or johnie walker appeared but it was Talisker that opened my eyes to the diversity of flavors and scents. currently with over 800 whiskies tried and head over heels in love with the climates of islay. finds his flavors in bottles such as ardbeg or lagavulin but I also willingly reach for peated whiskies such as glendronach sweet fruity climates of Speyside.
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