Longrow Red 13 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Cask

Review by: Raygun

The Red series has been going since 2012. Usually an initial maturation in bourbon barrels and then a finish in some sort of red wine cask. The ones I’ve had have ranged from pretty good to excellent. However, Longrow really needs to do more Sauternes maturation. That’s my opinion. Initially tried as a blind sample, and I subsequently got a share of about ⅓ of a bottle. Notes from the blind tasting in regular type, with additions from later pours in italics.

Distillery: Springbank (Longrow)  

Bottler: Springbank  

Region/style: Campbeltown single malt Scotch

ABV: 51.6%. Cask strength.   

Age: 13 years. Released in 2020. 

Cask type: Ten years in bourbon barrels and refill sherry hogsheads, then three years in Mont Gras Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. 9000 bottles.

Color: 1.4 tawny. Natural color and chill-filtered.

Nose: Peat for sure, Caol Ila, Ledaig, or Ardbeg come to mind. Coastal, mineral, biscuit, touch of berry. Forest, more berries. A little citrus. A definite earthy dimension. Roasted tomatoes. 

Palate: Milder peat than I thought. Couldn’t be Ardmore, could it? Has some heat. Hint of bell pepper. Not much fruit. Tomato sauce, digestive biscuits, a bit of beef stock. Blackberries and oranges. Smoky tomato sauce, with maybe a touch of anchovy. Or mushrooms. Some umami for sure. Gets somewhat meatier.

Finish: Significant umami. Beef broth with mushrooms. Tomato skin and berries. Some ashy smoke. Wood-fired pizza with meatballs, with a nice charred crust. Leans more savory here. The earthy flavor is back, and the wine flavor is clearer.

Conclusion: I initially guessed a Bordeaux wine cask and around 16 years, so pretty darn close. I thought it was a PC since they’re known for wine casks. Somehow I’d forgotten about the Longrow Red series. This is the best of those I’ve had in a while.

Score: 87

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
  • 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)

Published by Raygun

Unknown's avatar

I drank Scotch occasionally (mostly at family gatherings) for years, but started getting more interested after an introduction and tasting from a Scottish acquaintance. That led to buying my first bottle (Highland Park 12). Now 600+ spirits later, Scotch is still my first love, but I drink other whisky and dabble in brandy as well.

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