Longmorn is highly regarded by many whisky-lovers, but I haven't yet come around to figure why. Could it be that the reputation hales from earlier days? Recent younger bottlings I have found to be a bit boring. I haven't tried to many older bottlings, but if my suspicion is true, the ones in this tasting will be very good.
Longmorn 34yo 1976-2010 50.2% TWA Landscapes
One from The Whisky Agency, which I'm suspecting bottles many casks at an age where its a bit past its peak. A very personal opinion as it seems they harvest much good words in companionships where whisky is discussed. From an ex-bourbon hogshead.Lots of vanilla, leather and pine wood on the nose, bonfire. Radishes and red onions as well. The taste is thick and sweet, vanilla milkshake and hot cinnamon, a bit rubbery as well. Bananas and salty licorice, contrasting flavor on the palate as well as some spirity notes, water is needed here. Water makes it sweeter and spicier, now there is hot cinnamon, earthy and ginger, I enjoy this thoroughly although the flavors aren't much to get excited about.
Given water it climbs a point more: 6
Longmorn 35yo 1975-2010 52.5% TWA Still Lifes II
Another one from The Whisky Agency, one year up and even higher %abv. Another ex-bourbon hogshead matured. Same light golden apple juice color as last one, I hope the taste and smell is more divided from the 34yo than what it appears unopened. Smells Much oakier and smokier than the 1976. Burnt sugar and hayseeds, fruity bubble gum and dark chocolate. The taste is muy picante, spanish hot chorizo and chilies. This hot stew is all very good, but it ends too fast and is replaced by an extreme oakiness. This is one of the TWA bottlings I've come across that I think has matured for too long on oak. I think this one could have been absolutely perfect 15-15yo and closer to 60%abv.
Too oaky, but up until the finish it's rich, spicy and very enjoyable: 6.5
Longmorn 21yo 1973-1994 54.9% Signatory Vintage cask#9279 btl.405/600
Third one distilled in the 70's, but bottled long time before the ones from TWA. Will this be as different as I anticipated for a whisky with a shorter time disposed to oak? Or maybe there is a very good reason they let it stay in cask for so long? It smells much thicker and heavier than the first two. Caramel and nut desserts, roquefort and cheddar cheeses, the best of two totally different cheeses? Honey liqueur and pisang, slightly bitter, rustic. The taste is dry and spirity, pisang again and some dark toffee. This one needs water. Water makes it more gingery, wheat biscuits and leather. Again it's perfectly drinkable, but the flavors just aren't much to my liking.
Given time and water it works, but not my favorite profile: 6.5
Longmorn 30yo 1976-2006 54.3% MacKillop's Choice cask#5879
One I just traded a sample of way back in 2010 or 2009 with a fellow from Sweden, the other whiskies I got from him has all been fabulous, maybe this will be the same? I cross my fingers for this one. By the looks of it it's another bourbon or ex-bourbon cask, same color as the past three, but looks can be deceiving, especially when judging what casks whiskies could come from. Or even more so, when people make assumption of taste based on the color of the whisky. Smells sweet, dark fruits, blueberries, blackberries, juniper berries, just about every dark berry that's out there, alongside some peat and honey, marzipan and almonds. This is amazing, what an attack when compared to the other ones in this tasting! The taste is thick, syrupy, honey, black pepper, chili, cardamom, cloves and licorice. Could this one come from a sherry cask? It was so enjoyable I forgot to try it with water. This is special stuff.
Amazing whisky, best Longmorn so far: 9
Longmorn 22yo 1969-1991 61.0% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask#3716&3717
Amazing strength for a whisky this age. Some tight casks up in Elgin? Darkest whisky of the bunch so far as well. I have to say I wish more whiskies were bottled at this strength as there can be some much more flavors packed in. Orange color. It smells extremely peppery, lots of nice herbal notes as well, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, basil and ferocious peat as well. This is the extreme version. Lots of sweets, eucalyptus and licorice. The taste is huge, red onions, red chilies, honey, sulphur, dry, salty crackers, salted butter, fish stock, amazing. Given what I had tried prior to this, this is amazing, and it actually outdoes the MacKillop's Choice by far. I guess this must be one of the ones creating the current reputation of Longmorn as a distillery having outstanding older bottlings.
To do this justice I had to expand my rating scale, unfortunately I won't: 10
Next tasting: Loch Lomond Distillery
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