Showing posts with label Springbank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Springbank. Show all posts

Longrow 21 Years


“Dirty Dancing with Muddy Waters”


Whisky Review # 981

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Campbeltown
Brand: Longrow
Distilled at: Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled in  2019 - 3600 Bottles - Limited Edition
Age: 21 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Sherry Casks (60%) and Ex-Bourbon Casks (40%)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 450-600 (March 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Very Expensive. Should have been bottled at Cask Strength
Buying Advice: 😋 Delicious Dirty Campbeltown for those rare occasions!

Colour: Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Lovely "Dirty" Campbeltown with a mix that includes Burnt Matches, Mud, Petrol and Sulphur. The Sulphur is okay though unless you are allergic to that stuff. Restraint Smoke and Peat that comes as a bit of a surprise. The Sherry cask influence is very clear. The Alcohol is sufficiently integrated. Mostly Sweet but with sufficient Sour, Salty and Funky notes to keep it interesting. Not your average Mainstream Malt of course but I like it despite the fact that it's a little on the Thin side.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Straw, Sour Berries like Strawberries and Red Currants, Citrus Peel (Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin), Wet Dirty Muddy Peat, Factory Smoke, Charred Oak, Dunnage Warehouse, Wet Rocks, Dark Chocolate, Burnt Matches, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon ,Cloves and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Resin, Tropical Fruit Mix (Banana, Mango, Nectarine), Bounty Bars, Dusty Old Books and Furniture, Mix of Dried Fruits and Nuts (Apricot, Raisin, Almond, Plum), Smoked Meat/Fish sprinkled with Herbs and Olive Oil, Forrest Floor, Nougat, Tobacco, Soot, Licorice, Aniseed, Petrol and traces of Varnish, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Wood Polish and Munster Cheese.


Palate:

The Sweet/Sour/Salty/Dirty/Muddy Mix very nicely coats your mouth and throat. It's quite satisfying. Peat and Smoke are certainly more present now. The Alcohol is nicely integrated but a slightly higher ABV would have been even better. Everything that Springbank produces has this Oily old-fashioned feeling to it and I'm a big fan!

Main Flavours: 

Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Sour Berries (Strawberry, Raspberry), Citrus Peel (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit), Earthy & Muddy Peat, Factory Smoke, Brine, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Hospital, Charred Oak, Dunnage, Smoked Bacon, Leather, Farm, Warm Banana sprinkled with Nutmeg & Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves and Dried Herbs.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Wax, Resin, Mix of Nuts, Dried Fruit and Dark Chocolate flakes, Old Books, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Aniseed, Licorice, Espresso/Black Tea & traces of Wall-Paper Starch, Slivovitz, PVC Pipes and Dyon Mustard.
  
     

Finish:

Middle-Long. Dirty but in a nice way. It's like licking a Petrol Pump! Mainly Sweet but with Sour, Salty and Funky notes for company. A light Bitterness towards the Medium Dry/Dry end. Smoke & Peat are more noticeable at this point. The Sulphur is there but okay. I find Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Dirty Earthy Peat, Factory Smoke, Hospital, Soot, Ashes, Tar,  Brine, Sour Red Berries and Cherries, Dusty Casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits, Citrus Peel (Orange, Grapefruit), Grilled Pineapple, Leather, Tobacco, Strong Espresso/Black Tea, Smoked Bacon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint , Licorice and traces of Slivovitz, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Petrol and Wall-Paper Starch.  

Drinking Advice:

This Longrow does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 8.5 (********1/2)

Nose: 8.5 - Taste: 8.5 - Finish: 8.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Very Nice


Conclusion:

The Longrow peated Single Malt is produced at the Springbank Distillery. In 1973, Springbank started a project that would try to produce a peated Islay type of whisky on the Scottish mainland. The name of the project was Longrow, named after the old Longrow distillery that was located close to Springbank. In 1990 the first peated Longrow appeared on the market. The Longrow Malts are dried for 48 hours over peat smoke. Longrow represents around 10% of the total Springbank production that currently amounts to 280.000 litres.

This is not your everyday " to go to" Whisky. It's probably a little too Dirty for that. But it somehow tastes like Old School Whisky and I really like to enjoy this type of Single Malt from time to time. It's very expensive and at this price level it should have been bottled on or near Cask Strength. It would have helped the Nose that's a bit on the Thin side. Still, I love Whisky like this because there's so much to discover. If you have the opportunity, go for it. I can safely recommend it if you like the Aroma/Flavour profile and are tired of today's Mainstream stuff.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                          March 9, 2023

Longrow 18 Years (2013 Release 13/184)



”Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine”


Whisky Review # 936

Country: Scotland
Region: Campbeltown
Brand: Longrow 2013 Release - Bottlecode: 13/184
Distilled at: Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown in 1995/1996
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled in 2013  - Bottles: 4500
Age: 18 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: 2nd-Fill Ex-Sherry Casks (60%) and 1st Fill Ex Bourbon casks (40%)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-250 (November 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐Okay at 150 US$. I wouldn't pay more though!
Buying Advice: 😛 One of those guilty pleasures to be enjoyed once in a while!

Colour: Golden Straw (Natural Color)

Nose:

Nice and slightly Dirty. Just the way I like it. The Sherry Cask influence is quite clear and I do get a few burnt matches as well. The Peat and Smoke are quite subtle and remain in the background. The Nose is a mix of Sweet, Sour, Salty and Musty notes with a good amount of (Dried) Fruit and Herbs. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not bother the Nosing procedures.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Toffee, Heather-Honey, Fresh & Dried Herbs, Citrus Fruit like Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange & Mandarin, Cooked Apple, Dark Berries, Musty Charred Oak, Dusty Old Book Shelves, Dunnage Warehouse, Vegetable Oil, Nougat, Pepper, Aniseed, Mint and Licorice.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Cold Cigar Smoke, Forrest Floor, Dusty Track, Mixture of Straw & Cow Manure, Wood Polish, Wet Rocks, Brine, Hospital, Ashes, Burnt Marshmallow and Matches, Leather, Cheese, Pine Needles, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Apricot-Flavored Yogurt and Ginger. Once in a while I get a distant hint of Banana Ice Cream.


Palate:

The delivery is Oily but slightly on the Thin side. This is certainly not your average mainstream Malt and it might be a bit of an acquired taste for many people. It's Dirty as Springbank should be but rather in a weird kind of way this time. There's lots of Sweet, Bitter, Salty, Sour and Musty Flavors to discover but some are less conventional. Imagine an old dusty Sherry Cask filled with a witchy mix of Herbal Tea, Cough Syrup, Slivovitz, Orange Liqueur, Plastic, Rubber, Gasoline, Peated Brine and Wall-Paper Starch that matures for 18 Years. That's about it! Still kinda like it though but it's certainly not my favorite Longrow.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Heather-Honey, Wax, Cough Syrup, Brine, Herbal Tea, Aspartame, Mint-Flavored Bitter Chocolate, Old Books on Dusty Shelves, Vegetable Oil, Dusty Extra-Charred casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Mint, Licorice, Pepper, Cloves and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Cold Cigar Smoke, Dirty Earthy Peat, Hospital, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Mix of Cow Manure and Straw, Wet Rocks, Salted Bacon, Citrus Fruit like Orange, Grapefruit & Lemon, Slivovitz, Dried Fruit like Apricot, Sultanas and Figs, Mixed Nuts, Mustard, Tobacco, Leather, Plastic, Cooked Apples, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Espresso.   
  
     

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with a few Salty and Sour notes as well. This might not be for everyone. It reminds me of a mix of Orange Liqueur, Slivovitz, Plastic and Wall-Paper Starch. There's nothing Main-Stream about this Longrow, that's for sure! Medium-Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Pine, Salted Caramel, Honey, Vanilla, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Cigar Ashes, Soot & Tar, Brine, Hospital, Citrus Fruit like Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit, Slivovitz, Dusty  casks maturing in a Dunnage Warehouse, Dark Berries, Sultanas, Herbs, Licorice, Pepper, Ginger, Leather, Tobacco, Rubber, Plastic, Aspartame, Mint-Flavored Bitter Chocolate, Salted Bacon, Cloves and Espresso. The Alcohol is noticeable but it stays within limits.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that mellows down this Longrow. I can imagine that many people would prefer it this way. You practically sacrifice the Finish though. You can certainly add a few drops but personally I prefer it neat.

Rating: 86

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Weird but still Good

Conclusion:

The Longrow peated Single Malt is produced at the Springbank Distillery. In 1973, Springbank started a project that would try to produce a peated Islay type of whisky on the Scottish mainland. The name of the project was Longrow, named after the old Longrow distillery that was located close to Springbank. In 1990 the first peated Longrow appeared on the market. The Longrow Malts are dried for 48 hours over peat smoke. In 2021 Springbank will produce 280.000 litres of which some 30.000 are destined for Longrow.

You can call this Longrow strange, weird, off-balance, dirty and musty. But you can't call it mainstream and that's a plus in my books. Beginning whisky drinkers might not like this Malt as it's a bit of an acquired taste but I find it interesting although it's certainly not my favorite Longrow. That award would go to the Longrow 11 Years Cabernet-Sauvignon Finish. Springbank is one of my favorite distilleries but once in a while you will encounter "Weird Scenes Inside the Goldmine" as the Doors said in the sixties. And that's the perfect description for this 18 Year-old Longrow.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                  November 101, 2021

Hazelburn 12 Years Review


“Interesting But Quite Expensive”

Country: Scotland
Region: Campbeltown
Brand: Hazelburn
Distilled at: Springbank
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46% 
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 609
Buying Advice: 😏  It's too expensive. Springbank is the better option.

Colour: Bronze/Copper (Natural Colour) 

Nose: Relatively Light and a little Edgy. The Sherry Cask influence is noticeable but it feels a little "Dirty". There's a bit of Sulphur there and a hint of Rubber as well. On the Nose, the Hazelburn is mainly Sweet with some Sour, Floral and Mineral (Salty) tones as well. There is some Fruit but it's Dried, not Fresh. I find Barley Sugar, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Nuts, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricot and Plum, Apple-Vinegar, Citrus, Dusty Casks, Bounty Candy Bars, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Licorice, Mint and traces of Leather, Tobacco and Metal. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.    

Palate: Sweet, Sour, Salty and Spicy. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, light Honey, Caramel, Cooked Apples, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Plums, Grapefruit and Orange, Espresso, Tobacco, Dusty Road, Sharp Oak, Pepper, Salt, Nutmeg, Ginger, Clove, Almonds and Bounty Bars.    

Finish: Middle-Long. Sweet and Spicy at first. Towards the end some strong Sour- and Metallic notes. Bitter Oak pops up as well. I find Toasted and Malted Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, Orange - and Grapefruit Juice, Sour Apples, Espresso, Tobacco, Dirty Earth, Almonds, Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger and Bounty Bars.  

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get more Cereals, Toffee and some Sour Apples. Palate and Finish do not change significantly but a little Water does take out some of the "dirty" notes. In the Finish, the Sour Apple note becomes quite clear. You can certainly experiment with a few drops.

Rating: 82      

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5


General Remarks:

The Springbank distillery was founded in 1828 and is owned by the Mitchell family since 1837. Throughout the years it managed to maintain the traditional production methods and today it's the only Scottish distillery that malts its entire need of Barley using its own floor maltings. The distillery produces the lightly peated Springbank that is distilled 2.5 times, the heavily peated Longrow that is distilled twice and the triple-distilled and unpeated Hazelburn. The yearly production amounts to around 150.000 litres of which 80% is Springbank with the remaining 20% evenly divided between Longrow and Hazelburn.

The Hazelburn 12 Years was launched in August 2009 and matures in a mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks. It will be replaced this year by the NAS Hazelburn Sherry Wood. The 12 Years is not cheap at an average 70 US Dollars (April 2017). As Springbank has become a kind of a cult distillery over the last years, prices have gone up accordingly.

Drinking Experience Neat: Interesting

Conclusion: In Review 608 I wrote that the Knockando 15 was a boring Malt. The same can certainly not be said about this Hazelburn. There are quite a few interesting Aromas and Flavours to be found. Not all of them are good though unless you are a fan of Sulphur, Rubber, Metal, Dirty Earth and the likes. But there also very clear nice notes like the Sour Apples, the Spices and the Coconut - Chocolate combination you used to find in Bounty Candy Bars. So all in all it's a mixed bag in my opinion. Interesting on the one hand but too Edgy and sort of Unfinished on the other hand. I liked the Tasting Experience but I would not buy a full bottle. Not at 70 US Dollars anyway because that's way too expensive for the Hazelburn 12 Years.

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 10, 2017

Campbeltown Loch 21 Years Review


“Indifferent Wood If You (C)Ask Me”

Country: Scotland
Region: Campbeltown
Brand: Campbeltown Loch
Produced by: Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 Years
ABV: 40% 
Chill-Filtration: Information not available. 
Whisky Review # 604
Buying Advice: 😞 Negative. Too expensive for what it offers.

Colour: Pale Gold/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Some Sweet Earthy Peat in the background suggests a bit of Longrow in the mix. I would assume that most of the Malt used for this Blend was matured in Refill Ex-Bourbon casks but there is a little Sherry influence as well. On the Nose, this Campbeltown Loch is not very outspoken. You would expect more depth given its age but on the other hand it is probably fair to assume that the best Springbank casks are used for the Single Malts. The Grain Alcohol is noticeable but a lot less than in your average Scottish Blend. I find Toasted Cereals, lightly Burnt Toast, Grass and Straw, Toffee, Vanilla Flavoured Candles, Caramel, Dried Fruit, light Honey, Grapefruit, Dried Banana Chips, Lemon Grass, Cinnamon, Salt and hints of Leather and Cardboard. You have to dig deep though to find some of these Aromas. The casks used were certainly not very active.    

Palate: Thin delivery. I'm glad to learn that the more recent 21 Years is now bottled at 46%. Although a higher ABV is sometimes used to hide weak Spirit. In the case of the 40% I'm tasting today there is nowhere to hide though. And unfortunately, the 21 Years does not convince me on the Palate. It's  Thin and there are some light Rubbery - and Metallic off-notes. I also find Sweet Toasted Cereals, Caramel, Vanilla, light Earthy Peat, light Honey, slightly Bitter Salted Almonds, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Nutmeg, Licorice, Tobacco, Grapefruit Juice and a hint of stale Coffee. 

Finish: A little Thin, Middle-Long and mostly Bitter Sweet with some Sour - and Herbal notes as well. The Grain Alcohol is more noticeable at this point. Quite Dry towards the end with a light Metallic Off-Note. I find Toasted Cereals, Tea, Dried Herbs, Sweet Cereals, Caramel, light Sweet Peat, Refill Oak, Grapefruit Juice, Tobacco, light Leather, Pepper, Licorice and an unexpected hint of Salted Meat.  

Due to the fact that I merely had a small sample at my disposal, I only tasted this Campbeltown Loch neat.

Rating: 81.5   

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20.5


General Remarks:

The Springbank Distillery is one of the very few remaining producers of Campbeltown Single Malt. It's owned by J & A Mitchell & Co. Ltd. and produces three types of Whisky namely Springbank, that is distilled 2,5 times, the peated Longrow that is distilled twice and the unpeated and triple-distilled Hazelburn. Most of the Spirit is sold as Single Malt but a small quantity is reserved for the House Blends Campbeltown Loch (5 and 21 Years) and Mitchell's (12 Years). The Campbeltown Loch 21 I'm tasting today is said to be made of 60% Single Malt (Springbank and others) and 40% Grain Whisky (Girvan). Prices vary a lot from place to place as the 21 Years at 40% has been discontinued in the meantime. They are usually in the 80/160 US Dollar range (March 2017). In 2013, a new 21 Years was launched with new (Springbank like) packaging and an ABV of 46%.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay 

Conclusion: I was expecting a lot more from this Campbeltown Loch 21 years, more so as I thought the NAS (5 Year Old) expression to be an edgy but honest young Whisky with a good Price/Quality ratio. In my opinion the Spirit has not at all benefited from an additional 16 years in the casks. This says something about the casks I'm afraid. It's impossible to create a good mature whisky using inactive - and/or indifferent casks. And in my opinion that's the case here. It's good that Springbank felt the need to give this Blend a face lift and I will try to get a sample of the 46% to see if the Distillery has succeeded in improving the quality of this Blend. As it stands I can't recommend this "old" 21 years bottled at 40%. Better buy a Springbank Single Malt!    

Jan van den Ende                                                                    March 23, 2017

Campbeltown Loch Blended Scotch Review



“A Blend Worth Looking For”

Country: Scotland 
Brand: Campbeltown Loch
Produced by: Springbank Distillers Ltd, Campbeltown
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky 
Age: NAS (Said To Be 5 Years Old)
ABV: 40 %

Colour: Pale Gold, White Wine

Nose: It's Light but certainly not unpleasant considering the price. I find some Sweet Peat, light Smoke, Brine, Salt, Cereals, Grain Alcohol, Vanilla, Toffee, Banana - and Apricot Flavoured Candies, Grass, Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks and traces of Leather, Espresso Coffee and Cinnamon. It's a bit too Light for my liking and the Alcohol is not integrated. But other than that it's quite okay when considering the price.

Palate: Thin Delivery. The slightly weaker part of this Blend as far as I'm concerned. I find Sweet Grains, Corn Syrup, Earthy Peat, light Smoke, light Caramel, New Make Spirit, light Vanilla, light Banana, light Herbs, Pepper, Salt, Clove, Licorice and a hint of Rubber.

Finish: Middle-Long with Sweet Peat, light Smoke, Cereals, Citrus, Pepper, Oak, Licorice (quite a bit), Salt, Caramel and Alcohol. Nothing to get excited about but not bad in its category.

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose, the Oak and Grains start to dominate. Palate and Finish do not benefit from added Water either. Better sip it neat. 

Rating: 84

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21


General Remarks: The Springbank Distillery is one of the very few remaining producers of Campbeltown Single Malt. It's owned by J & A Mitchell & Co. Ltd. and produces three types of Whisky namely Springbank, that is distilled 2,5 times, the peated Longrow that is distilled twice and the unpeated and triple-distilled Hazelburn. Most of the Spirit is sold as Single Malt but a small quantity is reserved for the House Blends Campbeltown Loch (5 Years) and Mitchell's (12 Years). The Campbeltown Loch I'm tasting today is made of 40% Single Malt (Mainly Springbank and Longrow) and 60% Grain Whiskies. It costs an average 30 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This is a Cheap Blended Whisky that is good enough to sip. There is nothing really special going on but it's utterly drinkable. I like the Nose. Nice interplay between Sweet Candy and Medium Peat. The Grain Alcohol does not bother me that much as it does in the majority of Blends in this category. This spirit really deserves more (quality) cask time. The Palate does not convince me in the same way. No Off-Notes here but it's all a bit too Thin for my taste. The Finish is not bad and invites you to have another sip. It's very drinkable to the point that you need to remind yourself that this is Whisky with an ABV of 40%. I think it's a pity that this Blend is not more widely available and at this price level you should certainly give it a try when you find it somewhere. 

Jan van den Ende                                                      September 11, 2014


Campbeltown and the Log