Name: Springbank 30 Years Old
SKU: 1340997
Price: 1300 GBP
Availability: InStock

This is the always much-anticipated 2023 release from Campbeltown's most famous distillery, Springbank. The 30-year-old single malt is made up of 80% ex-bourbon and 20% Sherry casks, a different make-up from 2022s 85/15% ratio. Distilled in 1993 and bottled on the 31st March 2023 and released just prior to the annual Campbeltown Malts Festival. With an outurn of circa 1400 bottles worldwide, this is a truly limited release.

March 2025

April 2025

May 2025

June 2025

The history of Scotch whisky has to a significant degree been shaped by excise legislation, ever since the first tax was imposed on it by the Scots Parliament in 1644. The parliament passed an Excise Act fixing the duty at 2/8d (13p) per pint of ‘aquavitae or other strong liquor’ – the Scots pint being approximately one third of a gallon.

Over the next two centuries, many changes were made to the legislation surrounding the taxation of whisky, but one factor that never changed was the determination of some distillers to operate illicitly, cutting out any proceeds for the treasury altogether.

In the early 1820s as many as 14,000 illicit stills were being seized each year, and it was estimated that more than half the whisky consumed in Scotland had been distilled without benefit of licence. In 1822 there were no fewer than 6,278 prosecutions for illicit distilling. 

The following year saw the passing of perhaps the most significant piece of legislation ever enacted in relation to Scotch whisky. The Act was an attempt – largely successful, as it turned out – to stifle the extensive trade in illicitly-distilled whisky.

The Excise Act encouraged legal distillation by cutting duty to 2s 5d per gallon, a historic reduction of more than 50 per cent, and a minimum still size of 40 gallons was sanctioned. A licence fee of £10 per annum was introduced, the concept of duty-free warehousing was developed, and distillers were free to export to England and overseas. 

One of the key figures behind the Excise Act of 1823 was the 4th Duke of Gordon, who had extensive estates throughout north-east Scotland, an area that was the very heartland of illicit distillation. Gordon proposed that if new legislation was put in place to make legal distilling more attractive, he and his fellow landowners would do all in their power to uphold the law as diligently as they could and evict anyone convicted of illicit distilling.

The advantages were perceived as being more revenue for the government, despite the lower level of duty, and opportunities for the lairds to make money out of the rash of whisky-making operations that would surely be built as a result of the proposed legislation. Remarkably, no fewer than 79 new distilleries were commissioned between 10th October 1823 and 9th August 1824, with the number of licensed distilleries rising from 111 in 1823 to 263 by 1825.

Perhaps the most significant name from a north-east of Scotland ‘Speyside’ perspective to join the list of legal distilleries was that of Glenlivet, where Captain George Smith began to distil legally at his Upper Drumin farm in 1824. However, Smith’s father, Andrew, had been distilling on the site since 1774, without ever feeling the need to acquire a licence! 
Glenlivet was notable as being the first distillery in the Highlands to be licensed in the wake of the 1823 Excise Act, with support from the Duke of Gordon. Not that the newly licensed Glenlivet flourished without interference, however. Many of Smith’s compatriots considered him a traitor for ‘going legit,’ and as he wrote some years later, they threatened to “…burn the distillery to the ground, and me at the heart of it. The laird of Aberlour presented me with a pair of hair-trigger pistols worth ten guineas, and they were never out of my belt for ten years.”

According to legend, Smith only ever had recourse to his pistols on one occasion. This occurred in a tavern where he stopped for refreshment after delivering some whisky to a customer, and involved a number of would-be thieves, keen to relieve wealthy travellers of their money. When they approached Smith, he drew one of his pistols and fired it into the fireplace. He was allowed to finish his drink in peace.
As a legitimate distillery, Glenlivet supplied high quality single malt to Scotland’s thirsty, expanding population centres to the south, and in terms of reputation, all other Speyside distilleries soon came to exist in its shadow.

One effect of the 1823 Excise Act was a move away from very small, localised licensed distilleries in southern and central Scotland, with larger whisky-making concerns reflecting the general trend towards bigger, more professional and integrated commercial activities across the UK. 
Indeed, Scotland had already witnessed a tendency towards the development of an industry focused on a relatively small number of extensive distilleries, with the likes of Kilbagie, Kennetpans, Glenochil, Cambus and Carsebridge among the most significant. This consolidation continued apace in the wake of the 1823 Act, though the Highlands were still characterised by a larger number of individually smaller distilling operations.

To give a clear idea of just how significant the 1823 Excise Act really was, many of the distilleries and single malts we now value most highly were licensed within a decade or so of its enactment. Not all of these were ‘new builds,’ of course, with some, usually farm-based, having previously operated under the radar without licenses.

The list of distilleries in question includes Balmenach, Ben Nevis, Benrinnes, cardhu, Edradour, Fettercairn, Glen Scotia, Glencadam, GlenDronach, Glenfarclas, Glengoyne, Glenkinchie, Miltonduff, Royal Lochnagar and Talisker   as well as many others no longer in existence.
While a very strong case can be made for declaring the 1823 Excise Act to be the single most important piece of excise legislation relating to Scotch whisky, a case can also be made for the 1860 Spirit Act which legalised the blending of malt and grain whiskies under bond for the first time. But that is another story for another day.

The Deil's awa wi' the Exciseman - Robert Burns

"The deil cam fiddlin' thro' the town, 
And danc'd awa wi' th' Exciseman; 
And ilka wife cries,  Auld Mahoun, 
I wish you luck o' the prize, man.

The deil's awa the deil's awa, 
The deil's awa wi' the Exciseman, 
He's danc'd awa he's danc'd awa 
He's danc'd awa wi' the Exciseman.

We'll mak our maut, and we'll brew our drink, 
We'll laugh, sing, and rejoice, man; 
And mony braw thanks to the meikle black deil, 
That danc'd awa wi' th' Exciseman.

There's threesome reels, there's foursome reels, 
There's hornpipes and strathspeys, man, 
But the ae best dance ere came to the Land 
Was, the deil's awa wi' the Exciseman.

The deil's awa the deil's awa , 
The deil's awa wi' the Exciseman, 
He's danc'd awa he's danc'd awa  
He's danc'd awa wi' the Exciseman."

…burn the distillery to the ground, and me at the heart of it.

In this intriguing piece, Gavin D. Smith delves into the relationship between taxes and the Scotch Whisky industry.

1823 EXCISE ACT

Historical

In our inaugural Blog entry, Guest writer Ian Buxton explores the seemingly unglamorous distillery mill. The unsung hero of whisky distilleries.

The Distillery Mill

january_auction_live_now_2741159_795586.png

Bids Close From 8PM

Auction Ends Soon!

buy_sell_with_the_worlds_most_trusted_whisky_auction_2080060426f40.png

Worldwide shipping, Incredible selection of Rare & Collectable Malts.

Buy & Sell with The World's Most Trusted Whisky Auction.

sell_with_confidence_in_our_next_auction_november_13th_18th_2080058d35e6c.png

0% Seller Commission. Entry Deadline Mar 5th. Get in touch now to sell items in this auction!

Sell with confidence in our Next Auction: March 12th - 17th

real_time_valuations_for_your_whisky_20800567ccb49.png

Add bottles to your account for instant valuations of your entire collection.

Real-time Valuations For Your Whisky

time_to_sell_well_collect_your_whisky_for_free_2080055b450b4.png

Free UK courier for collections valued over £500. International courier collections also available.

Time to sell? We'll collect your whisky for free.

main_slider.png

Worldwide shipping available to 65 countries. Express & Insured options available.

Insured worldwide shipping. Delivering whisky, right to your door.

Springbank 30 Years Old 2023 Release (23/68)

Official Bottling

Bourbon/Sherry (80%/20%)

Seen by some as Scotland’s, if not the world’s greatest distillery, Springbank is a unique proposition. Not much has changed at Springbank since its inception in 1828; it still follows a historical oddity of distilling, it remains owned by J&A Mitchell and it still uses floor malting for 100% of its requirements. And all of this from the fairly remote location of Campbeltown, which is the former distilling capital of Scotland.

Three distinct styles are produced at the distillery with a triple distilled whisky (Hazelburn), a heavily peated (Longrow) and the classic Springbank. More than ever before, these are in huge demand from the UK and international distributors. Due to the historical nature of the distillery and the methods they follow, production cannot be increased too dramatically to accommodate rising demand. Sadly, it looks like we’ll all have to chase a little harder for anything Springbank-related for a while to come.

Springbank 30 Years Old

2023 Release (23/68)

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I bid on the auctions?

Why does the timer extend on a lot?

How do I sell?