Review by: The Muskox

This is the second dram from an online Springbank/Longrow tasting I participated in the other day. I actually tried this dram and that Old Malt Cask Springbank a day before the tasting, to help save my palate for some of the other drams. I’ve kind of avoided some Longrow single sherry casks in the past out of fear of sulfur, but this one was sort of thrust upon me!

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Distillery: Springbank.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Region: Campbeltown.

ABV: 50.3%, cask strength.

Age: 16 years old. Distilled in October 2002. Bottled in November 2018.

Cask type: Fresh sherry hogshead.

Color: Light amber. No colour added, un-chillfiltered.

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Nose: Sweet and savoury, not super smoky at first. Fruit salad (yummy yummy!), along with a wholesome American breakfast of bacon, pancakes, maple syrup, a mug of honey-sweetened tea, and one orange slice to make it healthy. Chocolate digestives and nougat. Sweet Italian sausage, black pepper, and a hint of eucalyptus. The industrial smoke does come in eventually, and the fruit gets drier and mustier. There are some ginger candies and a distinct note of that salted black licorice (which I usually hate on its own, but not here!)

Palate: Medium thick texture. Arrives with spiced sherry, plums, and brown sugar, then developing to earthy, meaty peat. It’s salty and earthy and industrial, with seaweed, grilled pork chop, and a hint of iodine. Underlying sweet fruit notes of table grapes and orange. Dry earthy oak and some cumin.

Finish: Medium-length. Rather tannic and drier than the palate. Grape skins, smoked peppers, pineapple, old pencils, and Brazil nuts.

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Possible SMWS bottling name: “Sausage dawg’s factory-issue breakfast pudd”

Notes: Pretty great! There’s no sulfur at all, which is a relief. The nose is complex and juicy, with the palate and finish turning to more of the dry, funky, earthy peat side of things. All good stuff, though not really mind-blowing like my bottle of that chardonnay finish. At first I preferred the OMC Springbank, but now I think this Longrow is at least as good.

Final Score: 86.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.