Whisky Connosr
Menu
Buy Whisky Online

Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins 11 YO

French and Dutch for Small Barrel

2 994

@VictorReview by @Victor

19th Nov 2016

0

Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins 11 YO
  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    94

Show rating data charts

Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Longrow is the more heavily peated line made at the Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown. Rundlets and Kilderkins are barrels of approximately 60 and 80 Litre capacity, and these were used for all of the maturation for this particular whisky. I thank @Nozinan for the reviewed sample. This whisky was distilled in November, 2001 and bottled in January, 2013. 9,000 bottles were produced. The reviewed bottle was opened in December 2014

Nose: What a treat! there is very intense sweet brine, iodine, seaweed, peat, and smoke from the outset. When you look for it you spot the malt which is very clean and mostly cereal-like. Wood influence is present, but well-integrated, and plays a supporting role. The beauty of this nose is intoxicating. The balance is perfect. This is the way whisky is supposed to be. Score: 24.5/25

Taste: peat and smoke dominate the delivery, but all of the other great flavours from the nose are still around. The peat is more intense than in the nose and the smoke is quite acrid. It's a good thing I like that kind of intensity. This might be too intense for some people, but not for those who like the big smoke and big peat. Balance in the mouth moves toward the bitter with a some sour. Score: 23.5/25

Finish: I could well be tasting this in my mouth tomorrow. The finish rests on bitter peat with a hint of sour. Score: 23/25

Balance: excellent balance in the nose; very good balance thereafter, assuming you can enjoy a bitter smokey whisky. Score: 22.5/25

Water added: 1) brought out some wonderful sweetness in the already wonderful nose, but also diminished the complexity of the nose, and 2) accentuated brine and peat in the mouth while damping the intensity of the smoke. This is certainly interesting with water added, but I prefer it without the water

Total Sequential Score: 93.5 points

Strength: very strong flavours throughout. Score: 24/25

Quality: delightful example of the heavily peated heavily smoked briny flavours in all aspects. Score: 24/25

Variety: there is lots of dimension here. Score: 23/25

Harmony: excellent harmony in the nose; very good harmony in the mouth. Score: 23/25

Total Non-Sequential Score: 94 points

Comment: I understand why Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins has something of a cult following. This one is intense and delightful. For the appreciator of the intense peaty/smokey/briny style, this one is for you

Find where to buy Longrow whisky

Nose:

Body:

Palate:

Related Longrow reviews

Read more Longrow whisky reviews

9 comments

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

This sounds like a wonderful whisky. I so wish I had given you this sample because then I could taste it for myself. Alas, I didn't.

I may have given you a sample of the Claretwood 12 YO CS in 2015, as we opened it together.

7 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

@Nozinan, oops, I got my donors confused, I guess. Now I have to try to figure out whom to thank.

7 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

Thank you Victor for a great review! This is one I really would like to sample. I'll have to put my name up on the donations list myself!

7 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Nock
Nock commented

You are welcome ;)

On previous visits you had not been a fan of the Longrow CV or the 10yo. This R&K 11yo has been my favorite Longrow expression (of what I have tasted to date). I believe the quality of this whisky is superb. The malt, the peat and the wood really are fantastic and harmonize well. I figured that this expression had the best chance of wooing you over to Longrow.

Great review as always. I know you are not the biggest fan of the bitter smoky/sour whisky, typically, so I was very curious to hear your take. I am glad you liked it!

7 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

@Nock, yes indeed, Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins 11 YO is one fabulous whisky. Like that one single barrel Kilchoman of yours, this one is amazingly fierce and penetrating in its intensity, and, best of all, does not devolve into excessive sourness. I can enjoy heavy bitterness if it is not accompanied by heavy sourness. None of this would matter if the flavours were not top notch. They are, of course. This grabs all of your attention, by the throat, almost, and will not let you go. This is one top pick for Big Flavours Lovers. I especially like the pointedness and blatant aggression of Rundlets & Kilderkins--sort of like the strongest Espresso you ever smelled or drank (as a non-coffee drinker the smell alone amazes me).

What I like so much more than those other Longrows to which you alluded, is that the flavours here are very well delineated and of top quality. The particular batch of peat and peat smoke used is really wonderful here. The sweet quality of the peat in the nose is amazing, though it loses that sweet component when you taste it in the mouth.

Yes, @Nock, thank you very much for the sample of Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins 11 yo. I am a giant fan. And, for your sake and mine, I hope that you have 5 more bottles of it stored away for future enjoyment.

7 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

How easily I am tossed by the wayside...

7 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Ol_Jas
Ol_Jas commented

I've been snatching up almost all of the affordable Longrows over the past few years, but I missed this one. I suppose it now belongs on my mental "white whale" list of bottles to hope I stumble upon one day, but that seems pretty unlikely now.

7 years ago 2Who liked this?

@MaltActivist
MaltActivist commented

So glad you liked it as much as I did. I had no expectations when I bought it - enticed only by it's cool rustic label. Beautiful whisky, this.

7 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Nock
Nock commented

@Victor I wish I had 5 bottles. I only have 2 unopened bottles for the future. When I was in Chicago about a year and a half ago they had these bottles for sale on closeout. I wish I would have purchased more . . . but I picked up three bottles of Amrut Intermediate Sherry instead. It is always difficult to make purchase decisions while on vacation.

@Ol_Jas I have also been trying to pick up any Longrow's that I see. Sadly, where I live Sprinbank never appears. So I only find it while traveling. And sadly, it always seem to be expensive.

@MaltActivist I totally agree. This stands head and shoulders above all the modern Longrow's I have tasted. Granted, I haven't tasted any of the great ones from the 1970's.

7 years ago 1Who liked this?