A Scot on Scotch

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The J & A Mitchell Story

J & A Mitchell was officially established in 1897 but its true beginnings were much earlier. In the early 1800s, Archibald Mitchell operated a still in the heart of Campbeltown. Then, in 1828, the Reid family (Archibald’s in-laws), opened a legal distillery on the same spot. They called it Springbank. When the Reids were forced to sell in 1837, the distillery was taken over by John & William Mitchell, maintaining a family connection that would last until Hedley Wright, great, great, grandson of Archibald, passed away in 2023.

Today, the company is the proud owner of two distilleries, Springbank and Glengyle, home to four distinct whisky brands: Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn and Kilkerran. They are also the caretakers of William Cadenhead, an independent bottler and retail chain with 10 shops around the world.

To say Mitchell’s products have a devoted following would be underselling things a bit. Springbank, in particular, has always enjoyed a good reputation among “those in the know” but in recent years the brand has crossed over in a big way. So much so, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of the whisky with any regularity. Given that the company themselves do little in the way of promotion, how did such a situation come about?

Personally, I suspect the lockdown had something to do with that surge. During the pandemic, the whisky industry took to the online world in a way it hadn’t done before. Brands started making video content and sample packs were winging their way all over the place for online tasting events. Even festivals like the Fèis Ìle and Spirit of Speyside moved into the virtual sphere.

People were stuck at home, disposable income in their pockets and no holidays, restaurants or pubs to spend it on, with a bombardment of whisky content being hurled their way. The appetite for information and especially for tips on what to buy reached a fever pitch.

Then, behind the brands and festivals came the shops and the whisky clubs, each trying to kickstart some form of their regular tasting events online. People who hadn’t previously entertained whisky tastings because of geographical issues were now becoming regulars. Even my own humble wee blog saw a massive boom in traffic. It felt like whisky drinkers who were once content to pick up the latest Macallan when they passed through the Airport were suddenly exposed to more advice and opinions than ever before and if there’s one thing bloggers, vloggers, whisky clubs and specialist retailers tend to agree upon, it’s their affection for Springbank.

Campbeltown’s most famous product went from being “our wee secret” to the hottest property in Scotch, inspiring a frantic cult-like following that makes the Bruichladdich lot look like part-timers. On the one hand, it’s lovely to see a distillery that is so careful about how it operates being recognised but on the other, one can’t help but yearn for the old days when you could walk into the local whisky shop and find the latest 3 or 4 Springbank releases waiting on the shelf.

Which brings me to the subject of this review. It’s not a Springbank, although it does come in their branded bottle. The whisky is a J & A Mitchell blended Scotch that was bottled for the 2023 Edinburgh Festival and sold from the Cadenheads shop in Edinburgh. In typical Mitchell fashion, there was little in the way of fanfair or marketing. Indeed, online information is pretty thin on the ground even now.

*Full disclosure: I received the sample featured in this review in an advent calendar from the people at Bevvy.com. As always, I will strive to give an honest opinion on the quality of the dram and the value for money it represents.

The Whisky

A blended Scotch whisky from the team behind Springbank and Glengyle. It’s bottled at 46% ABV.

Smell: There’s heather honey and malted barley with a wee bit of straw. Also some vanilla with oranges and peaches, apples and pears. There’s some fresh oak and a wee bit of wood varnish. Some breakfast cereals, grist and dusty muesli.

Taste: I found lots of toffee and vanilla. Honey too. You could even throw in some caramel. There was also a wee touch of oakiness at the back with some light woody spices including cinnamon and nutmeg. The heat from those spices is very gentle though. Nice juicy oak on the finish with some black pepper and some dark chocolate bitterness. More orange citrus with repeat sips.

Thoughts: This feels like it has volume to it. It’s certainly not the subtle wee blend you might be expecting. There’s some good intensity on arrival, a pleasing mouthfeel and it feels like it has a higher malt content than you might expect though there are definitely a few grainy notes in there, if you look out for them. All in all, an incredibly drinkable dram – aided by the 46% drinking strength, natural oily texture and lack of any unpleasant spirit heat. It feels a step up from where it ought to be at the price.

Price: £25. Not quite at the level of the same company’s Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt but a good blend all the same and one that comes at a very approachable price.

For more about J & A Mitchell visit here

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