Scotch Whisky Review #174: Longrow 16 Year Single Cask Fresh Sherry

Distillery: Springbank

Region: Campbeltown

Price: Many thanks to a very secretive Santa

Cask Type: Fresh Sherry Hogshead

ABV: 50.3%

Age: 16 Year. Distilled in October of 2002, bottled in November of 2018.

Color: 1.4, Tawny. Natural Color and Non-Chill Filtered.

Nose: (according to the wife) It’s sweet and salty, almost like a honey smoked salmon. There’s a bit of the sherry along with rubbery peat and a hint of roasted hazelnuts.

Palate: Mouthfeel is on the thicker side. The peat is what hits you first, it’s the slightly rubbery kind as the nose suggests. That gives way to a very boozy either blackberry or huckleberry note along with some wild honey. Following along comes that deep, earthy funk that you find in Springbank whiskies.

Finish: Long. There’s a sweet menthol and tobacco note that leaves a bit of a tingle on the tongue, much like a soda would. A bit of heat shows up towards the end, much like you’d expect from a much more youthful whisky.

Conclusion: This is a pretty fun dram. The nose starts of with a really lovely note of honey smoked salmon and nuts. The palate give you a really lovely boozy berry note that’s elevated by the peat, honey, and funk that came with it. The finish is a lot of fun with the menthol leaving a tingle. I’m a bit disappointed by the harsh heat towards the end but that’s nothing a drop of water cannot fix. I’d have loved to have seen a little more of the sherry influence come through but all in all, this is job well done by Springbank with a great balance of flavors throughout. Would I buy a bottle? If I could find one, probably.

Final Score: 82.

Scotch Whisky Review #174, Campbeltown Whisky Review #4, Whisky Network Review #239

Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.