The most acclaimed in many peoples eyes, importer of spirits to Norway, mr Jon Bertelsen once discussed the distilleries on offer in Norway with me on a forum, having imported some quite shocking whisky from Loch Lomond Dustillery. I compared the swedish market to the norwegian and pointed out that many more distilleries are to be found in Sweden. mr J.B. (not me) stated that the whiskies that were not on the norwegian market weren't there due to being considered of inferior quality. I believe that Longmorn, which was not to be found in Norway at that time, is a much superior whisky to Loch Lomond anyhow you put it. There, now I've said it. Thankfully there is now a bottling of Longmorn from Adelphi available in Norway.
Longmorn 15yo 1974-1989 46% Signatory Vintage cask#85/194-101 btl.751/1000
Anyone who can crack this cask code? Some evaporation in this one. The color is amber. It smells of peat, oaky, dry licorice, gingerbread, sweet peat, smoky, butter, cream, vanilla. A whisky that suits the christmas season? The taste is sweet, gingerbread, peaty, butter, onions, creamy, the sherry wood starts talking now, red wine, garlic, olive oil, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, malty, basil. This is a great old style sherried Longmorn, one to be on the lookout for.
Top quality and perhaps not that expensive?: 8.5
Longmorn NAS 1976 54.7% James MacArthur's Old Master's
I haven't been able to find any cask numbers or bottling date for this one. The color is amber orange, turns hazy immediately. It smells bitter, burnt grease, oil, leather, smoky, orange zest, creamy, dark chocolate, butterscotch. I wish I had more information about this one as I'd immediately start searching for a full bottle, and I haven't even tasted it. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, honey, earthy, peppery, licorice, red berries, feta cheese, olive oil, butter, garlic. The smokiness is a bit less prominent than in the SV, but that leaves room for more sweetness and honey, and how could that be wrong? The finish is sweet cardamum, cinnamon, honey, peat, wax and cigars.
Wow, I can't find anything to criticize in this one: 10
Longmorn-Glenlivet 12yo 57% Gordon & Macphail for the US Market
If I'm right, this is a bottling from the 80's, so perhaps not far off the prior two vintages. The color is bronze brown. It smells of dry sherry, sweet, nutty, cinnamon, definitively a lot of sherry oak used to produce this one. The taste is honey, sweet, perfumy, cinnamon, almonds, syrup, heather, coffee, dark chocolate, butter, red bell peppers, dried paprika, tomato soup. Once again its a superb whisky from Longmorn, I wonder how the more recent batches will compare to these older stars.
Superb whisky, if just a little too sherried for me, close to perfection: 9.5
Longmorn 11yo 1984-1995 60.7% Cadenhead's
The youngest (probably) and closest to modern Longmorn in this session. There's been some excellent youngsters from Cadenhead's, especially St. Magdalenes. The color is amber orange, not far from the one from JMcA. It smells of white wine, smoke, peat, why do I get these peaty notes, I thought that Longmorn was an un-peated whisky. This one is more fresh, herbs, grassy, sweet, sage, lime, pears, great stuff, but a bit unlikely considering the heavily sherry influenced ones I've had in this session. Perhaps it was time for a change. This one has a fascinating fruity coastal character. The taste is leather, cinnamon, orange zest, burnt, clay, needs water I believe. With three teaspoons added it turns sweeter, more sulphury, esters, bitter, not better, but more bitter. If you like your whiskies bitter, add water to this one.
This one lacks some sherry zing in comparison, but neat its a very good whisky: 7.5
Next tasting: Highland Park Distillery
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