As Springbank’s popularity continues to grow—and with it the prices it commands at auction—we take a closer look at Local Barley, one of the distillery’s most iconic series and arguably one of the most famous series in the history of Scotch whisky altogether.
When the earliest editions of Local Barley were first released, Springbank was newly emerging from a long period of mothballing. The distillery had been closed from 1979 to 1987, just one of the many victims of the Whisky Loch overproduction crisis that hit the Scottish industry in the 1980s. When the distillery reopened, Hedley Wright—great-great-grandson of John Mitchell (Springbank has been owned by the Mitchell family since 1837)—decided it was time to focus on single malts instead of continuing to sell all of the distillery’s production to blending companies.
The Local Barley range was in part born from this approach and perhaps also in part from a desire to make the most of its older casks, which were deemed to be of a higher quality. This meant the distillery needed to work with the limited stocks resulting from its closure to design a regular and stable range.
Springbank 1966 Local Barley #478
From the West Highlands to Local Barley
The first bottling in the range (not yet known as Local Barley) was released in 1988. It was a Springbank 1967 presented in a tall bottle with the words ‘A West Highland Scotch Single Malt’ printed on the label, also decorated with charming illustrations of the distillery, its surrounding fields, a pot still, the worm condenser and the spirit receiver. These colourful, picturesque labels became an icon for both the whisky they held within and the somewhat nostalgic, storybook image they promoted. The first release was followed by four Springbank 1970 single casks bottled in 1991 and 1993 at 46% ABV, as in 1987.
During the same period, in 1990, three 1966 sherry casks were bottled in dumpy bottles (this time at cask strength). The back label stated that almost every element used to create the whisky had been sourced from within eight miles of the distillery. This enabled enthusiasts to know the origins of the water, peat, coal and, of course, the barley used to produce the malt. The only exception were the casks, which were sourced either from Kentucky for bourbon casks or from Andalusia for sherry casks. This format and bottling choices would be kept in future editions.
The second rich and more prolific period in the series was composed of the famous 1966 casks, released between 1996 and 2000 (#470 to #511). This time the label was emblazoned with the words ‘A Campbeltown Scotch Malt Whisky’, marking a certain renewed pride for the region, which had once been home to a large number of distilleries before Prohibition and the 1930s crash led the number to dwindle to just two by the 1960s (Glen Scotia being the only other in the area). This period included both bourbon casks that allowed Springbank to express its exotic spirit, and resinous, distinguished sherry casks—which are sadly no longer used. Some were made for specific markets, like the US or Taiwan. The malts were also older, with a minimum of 30 years on the clock versus just over 20 for the West Highland releases.
The 1966 vintage was followed—on this occasion only—by five casks (#6 to #10) from the previous vintage, 1965. All were released in 2001 in the same bottle and label used today, staging the distillery among its surrounding barley fields. It was also in 2001 that the series took the name Local Barley.
Springbank 2010 10 year old Local Barley
Local Barley’s return
These last bottlings appeared to mark the end of the range, likely due to a lack of available casks. In 2011, however, the series was revived, this time with younger whiskies, often aged for around ten years. Originally designed to be a five-part limited series, these new bottlings were so popular that a new edition came to be released every year. Today, these bottlings offer enthusiasts a way to honour their love of not only the highly prized iconic bottlings of years gone by but also of the malt currently produced at the distillery.
In addition to their excellent quality, Local Barley offers an insight into how Springbank has changed and developed over the years—through its different varieties of barely, yeast, firing techniques and casks—and into the resilience of a distillery that has fought hard to remain artisanal and loyal to a way of making whisky that has all but disappeared in Scotland. It has everything it needs on site, using local barley grown at neighbouring farms that is then malted on the distillery’s own malting floors (reopened in 1992) before being bottled at its own bottling plant. Although the most recent versions are clearly different from those distilled in the 1960s and 2000s, Springbank has successfully managed to preserve the excellent quality that makes it one of the most beloved malts in Scotland. For this reason alone, the series is an important illustration of a very specific and important approach to making whisky.
Springbank malting floor
Springbank 1966 Local Barley
55.1%, 75cl, 1998, #496, For Taïwan
This Local Barley bourbon cask is deliciously soft, revealing notes of leather, tobacco, dried fruit (fig, raisin) and, of course, beeswax and honey. Barley is also expressed in the form of toasted notes (toast) and nuts (hazelnut, walnut). The palate focuses on fruit, adding pineapple, apricot, Mirabelle plum and citrus (orange, lemon) to the fruits already found on the nose. The finish takes us to new but just as enjoyable lands with notes of liquorice sweets, mint and gum. The cask is incredibly well-integrated, taking care not to get in the way of a spirit whose balance and complexity come very close to perfection.
Springbank 10 Year Old 2011 Local Barley
51.6%, 70 cl, 2021
15,000 bottles
On the nose, citrus fruits—lemon in particular—unmistakably lead the charge. The malt also develops very distinguished aromas of soot, engine oil and sea spray. The palate follows the same theme with notes of lemon, pepper and salt appearing alongside an intense minerality. A very straightforward version of Springbank that beautifully illustrates how the spirit has evolved since the 1960s. The fruit and waxy character of old Springbanks have gone, but the spirit has maintained its purity and what many would consider a very old school style—much to our delight.
