A wee trio of independent Longmorns


September 10, 2025

A wee trio of independent Longmorns

Longmorn

A distillery we almost visited quite a few years ago, but the reception at their main site the day before had been so problematic that the visit was cancelled. And yet, we had with us friends who had come especially from Japan and even the west coast of Scotland (ha), bottles from the 19th century, and even the BBC — camera, microphone, journalist and all. It took us a while to get over it, but never mind, we've long since forgiven them.

Longmorn 11 yo (48.5%, Decadent Drinks, Equinox & Solstice Spring 2025 edition, 1st Fill Barrel)

Colour: straw. Nose: straightforward and unpretentious, as if assembled without fanfare. Fruit tarts, syrups, sponge cakes, yellow plums… not quite the kind of aroma one commits to memory, but it’s cheerful enough while it lasts. Mouth: a likeable young malt whisky, fruity, nicely balanced, pleasantly malty, with no jagged edges nor any signs of precociousness. Finish: much the same, though it does start to unravel somewhat, turning oddly dry and herbal, almost as if it suddenly remembered it had somewhere else to be. Comments: in this instance, one does wonder what Messrs Equinox and Solstice had in mind, as this feels a tiny touch superfluous, particularly on the palate. Perhaps not totally up to the very high standards usually set by the house. We’d much rather revisit last time’s superb Glen Ord, and after all, let the bottler who has never produced a slightly less-than-sparkling bottle throw the first one!
SGP:441 - 80 points.

Longmorn 16 yo 2008/2025 ‘An Old Giant’ (53%, The Dramming Lads, hogshead + 1st fill oloroso quarter, 121 bottles)

Colour: reddish amber. Nose: peach jam and a great big bag of sultanas. A rather endearingly cooked-winey character, very old-school and quite likeable. With water: old cardboard, vintage pipe tobacco, aged Burgundy wines; this ‘antique’ side is utterly charming, reminiscent of the profiles found in very old bottles of blends. Faint hints of aniseed coming through later on. Mouth (neat): mildly soapy touches at first, then oils, before veering off towards pink grapefruit. Plenty going on here. With water: that antique side persists. Finish: same story. Comments: a curious wee beastie that seems to have been OBE-ed (not knighted!) from birth.
SGP:441 - 82 points.

Longmorn 16 yo 2008/2025 (53.4%, Maltbarn, sherry cask, 177 bottles)

From a small high-end outfit that knows how to nurture a great bottle and a love for handsome labels. Colour: gold. Nose: apples, pears, plums and beeswax. A touch of flint. With water: full-on mead, which, let me remind you, was the nectar of the Greek gods. Mouth (neat): a sharp, incisive, lemony attack, then it unfolds over fruity beer, IPAs and damson tart generously dusted with ground cinnamon… With water: absolutely beautiful, even if not overly complex. A hint of cardboard but glorious cooked orchard fruits, especially apple and quince compote. Finish: medium length, well balanced, on fruity beer. Comments: perhaps not one of the great Longmorns from the 60s or 70s, but it’s still a very, very lovely thing.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

Check the index of all Longmorn we've tasted