When a distillery like Springbank releases aged expressions, the whisky world listens. But few bottles tell such different stories as the Longrow 21 Year Old (2023 release) and the Springbank 21 Year Old (2025 release). Both come from the same historic Campbeltown stills, yet they couldn’t be further apart in character.
The Longrow 21 (2023) is unapologetically bold. Matured in a heavy mix of sherry (65%) and bourbon (35%) casks, it explodes with earthy smoke, roasted nuts, sharp citrus, and sea spray. It feels rugged — like standing on the windy Kintyre coastline, salt in the air, smoke from a peat fire swirling around you. There’s a raw, untamed power here, with flavours of lemon, grilled pineapple, ashy herbs, even a bitter edge of burnt thyme and tobacco. It’s a whisky that challenges, provokes, and rewards those who love peat at its most authentic.
By contrast, the Springbank 21 (2025) is all about balance and sophistication. Its unusual cask recipe — 65% Port, 25% Bourbon, with a touch of Sherry and Rum — creates layers of indulgent sweetness and maritime depth. The nose is dessert-like: Medjool dates, sticky toffee pudding, treacle, and blood orange, lifted by gentle peat smoke. On the palate, it turns into smoked figs, caramelised sugar, cigar box, brambles, even a savoury twist of Iberico ham. The finish lingers with banana bread, cinnamon spice, and earthy elegance. This is a whisky for slow evenings, good company, and quiet contemplation.
Together, these two bottlings show a part of the range of Campbeltown: the wild, smoky Longrow spirit on one hand, and the refined, multi-layered Springbank style on the other. One is a storm on the coast, the other a fireside conversation. Which one do you reach for depends not just on taste, but on mood.
