Tasting two unusual Longrow

March 26, 2013

Tasting two unusual Longrow

After the Springbank bearing the same funny name (they’re small casks), time to try the newer Longrow while hoping it remained as wonderfully spirit-driven as the ‘regular’ versions.

Longrow 11 yo 2001/2013 'Rundlets & Kilderkins' (51.7%, OB, 9,000 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: sure there is a wee gingeriness from the very active wood coming through, together with a little capsicum, but other than that it’s classic Longrow, with all its twists and turns. That means peat smoke of course, soot, some butter, liquorice, antiseptic, motor oil, spirit sulphur (touches) and a little brine. I’m asking you, what’s not to love? With water: pure Longrow now, adios oak! Leathery farminess. Mouth (neat): sweet and creamy start, then a slightly biting oak arising together with a lot of heavy liquorice, Scandinavian style. The peat is quite gingery and peppery, it’s all a pretty spicy spirit. With water: yippee, again the distillate won and it became a creamy/spicy Longrow, with added oranges and grapefruits. Finish: long, maybe slightly drying now. Cocoa powder, oranges and bags of cinnamon. Comments: takes water like a champ. No, needs water! I like most ‘regular’ Longrows better but this Kundlets and Kinderkists (?) comes close. SGP:365 - 87 points.

Longrow 14 yo 1997/2011 'Burgundy Wood' (56.1%, OB, 7,800 bottles)

Matured for 11 years in refill bourbon and finished for three years in fresh Bourgogne casks, so pinot noir. Colour: salmony/apricoty (pass me the gun – jokin’). Nose: I’m most happy because it does not reek of red berries, a style that, in my experience and according to my taste, does not go well with Longrow at all. Anyway, it’s not there, we rather get a lot of nutmeg (French oak I guess) and an even bigger medicinal side than in the Runkins & Kilderlets (??) There are also more herbs, thyme, rosemary, even a little oregano and then whiffs or orange squash and motor oil. Tell me about a cocktail. With water: strange, while the Runderkilt & Kilkins (???) got cleaner, this one became aspirine-y and bizarrely farmyardy. A little manure. Mouth (neat): a very strange one indeed, starting with huge notes of orange drops mixed with green cardamom. After that, more pepper, ginger and a mild peatiness, the spirit having much less to say than on the nose. With water: some chemical notes come out, more bitter herbs… Not easy. Finish: long, bitter and greener. Lots of leather. Comments: no need to say that I liked the Kerkilts and Runderlets (????) way, way better, but remember, only one man’s opinions and tastes. It’s simply not my cup of malt and peat+red wine never work on my palate, it’s almost like coffee+mustard ;-). SGP:365 - 70 points.

Check the index of all Longrow I've tasted so far

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback