ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and phenolic. At first there’s a big bucket of oranges and apricots coming through. The characteristic savory rubbery/oily Springbank note creates a backdrop as a slightly ashy, warm woodfire sits on the edges. It’s very mild and as time goes by the sherry casks start to appear with darker fruit notes and a deeper sweetness. Plums, black grapes and raisins all drizzled with honey. There’s black liquorice and vanilla coming through as well. It feels a bit younger than its age, but it’s a very complex and beautiful nose.

Mouth: Spicy and dusty at first. A coconut note passes by together with a medicinal phenolic note. It takes a while before it settles in the mouth, but when it does it reveals an array of citrus fruits. Oranges are still the main fruit, but clementines, grapefruits and apricots are in there as well. It’s got an oily texture and it’s very juicy. The savory rubbery note sits in the center and the other peat notes circle around the edges together with the darker notes from the sherry.

Finish: An medicinal Iodine note flare up, then the savory note returns together with the peatiness, which now has changed slightly towards tobacco. Once again the citrus fruits return. It’s now leaning towards grapefruits, with a bitterness intertwined with a fantastic oakiness that arrives after a few seconds. The coconut returns together with tropical fruits within the oakiness. There are also assorted nuts appearing down the line. This is an absolutely fantastic whisky.

Additional information
The 2019 release of Longrow 18 YO is a mix of 75 % ex-sherry casks and 25 % american ex-bourbon barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.