Whisky Connosr
Menu
Buy Whisky Online

Longrow Peated

Ash with your Cheesecake, Sir?

5 487

@RianCReview by @RianC

6th Sep 2018

0

Longrow Peated
  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    87

Show rating data charts

Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Surely no need for lengthy waffle here but suffice to say that this is the peated style from Springbank. This I believe, replaced the 10 a few years back and is double distilled as opposed to 2 and a 1/2 times for SB and triple for Hazelburn.

Bottles been open about a month with three quarters left. This is a 30 ml pour, neat (it doesn't benefit from water, imo), and tucked into from the off.

Nose - Salt and smoke that's more fireside embers than ash tray like and that always comforting nip of peat. Some herbal and creamy barley notes, and full, with lots of lemon pastries. Tarte au Citron, oui? There are definitely sour fruits at play here. Clean and inticing.

Taste - Lemon cheesecake covered in forest fire ashes. Lemon, lots of lemon. The smoke is earthy and mingles nicely with the sweetness. Quite sour as it develops and it's very soft for 46%.

Finish - Fairly short as you'd expect for a 7 - 9 year old whisky (far as I can tell) but smoke, some salt and light tannins stand out. Crisp.

This is my first Longrow and, like everything else from Springbank, this also impresses. The smoke reminds me more of Ardmore than anything from Islay but it suits the barley forward style nicely. It's a straightforward (elemental?) whisky but the quality is clearly there. A good 'summer' peated whisky for sure and would make a nice change from Islay peat, if that's your thing; but don't expect phenolic fireworks, the peat is more restrained and balanced than in, say, a Laphroaig.

Related Longrow reviews

4 comments

@MadSingleMalt
MadSingleMalt commented

For what it's worth, I'd say this "replaced" the Longrow CV, if it really replaced anything. Their lineup has changed quite a bit over the past five years or so.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Hewie
Hewie commented

Sounds great. As I read it I can't help but think of my bottle of Kilkerran 12. How would you say this compares to that or Springbank 10? And how does the level of peat compare too? Thanks.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

Wierdo commented

I had a bottle of this about 3 years ago. I enjoyed it. I keep meaning to get another bottle. IIRC your description of the peat is quite accurate in that it is smoky but not particularly vegetal.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

@Hewie - Funnily enough I've been making those comparisons myself and would say this leans more to Kilkerran 12 than SB 10 but with a touch more smoke and less industrial grime notes (but there is a touch of that here). I found the K12 quite peaty, actually. The lemon cheesecake note though is very reminiscent of SB10. In short, something between the two with a touch more overt smoke than either of those have.

@Wierdo - Yeah definitely none of that Iodine, sea weed style peat here but the saltyness in it does give it a coastal feel.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?