Two heavy peaters from Campbeltown


December 19, 2025

Quirky

WF's Quirky Little Duos, two heavy peaters from Campbeltown

In other words, Longrow and the latest heavily peated batch from its cousin Kilkerran. I do wonder, in fact, whether the development of Glengyle/Kilkerran might have slightly slowed down that of Springbank’s heavily peated version.

Longrow 21 yo (46%, OB, Limited Release, 2023)

35% Bourbon and 65% Sherry, unlike 2022’s edition (30% bourbon, 60% sherry, 10% chardonnay) that Angus sampled back then (WF 85). It has to be said we usually prefer the clean versions of Longrow, 100% bourbon or refill. Colour: full gold. Nose: the animal side hits first, almost on pure mutton fat, then gently fades to make way for roasted pumpkin seeds and the very much anticipated medicinal dimension, quite camphory, with eucalyptus layered on top, and a touch of dried seaweed on one of the peninsula’s beaches. Worth noting—and good news—there’s none of that sulphury note sometimes found in the sherry-heavy Longrows. Mouth: sharp salinity and pepper straight away, very assertive, with growing brine and that fairly typical carbon dustiness, then smoked meats and tobacco. Walnut and even more tobacco seize control next, with the appearance of orange zest and the omnipresent salt. Finish: long, returning to mutton fat with some very dark chocolate and even a few white-wine-steamed mussels. The aftertaste reverts to medicinal. Comments: these Longrows always dance to their own tune. Cracking stuff.
SGP:466 - 89 points.

Kilkerran ‘Heavily Peated Batch 13’ (58.6%, OB, 2025)

We were rather fond of Batch 12, also released this year (WF 87) Colour: pale gold. Nose: seriously powerful at first, brushing up against cologne, then slowly the candied lemons, oysters and iodine tincture take over, bringing a piercing, clean sharpness to the whole. With water: seawater, seaweed, plaster and beach sand at low tide. Mouth (neat): perfect, farmy, very lemony, with surprising notes of Toplexil, green pepper and salt. In the end, it’s all about purity. With water: really excellent, almost like pure oyster juice, just missing a few drops of Muscadet. Finish: very long, very vertical, salty, peppery and lemony to the point of excess, but we’re all for that. Slightly youthful on the aftertaste, with green pear and a touch of rubber. Comments: still just as good and properly peaty. We now await batch #14, likely due next year.
SGP:456 - 87 points.