During this session we tasted;
- 15yr old Chardonnay cask 56.2% ABV.
- Red 13yr old Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon cask 51.6% ABV.
- Red 10yr old refill Malbec cask 52.5% ABV.
- Distillery exclusive handfill bottle 58.3% ABV.
Longrow 15yr old Chardonnay cask 56.2% ABV, WM Cadenheads
Appearance
Slightly deeper than mid gold in colour, with a yellow/orange tinge, swirl line is nice and thick and slow medium thick legs. #thewhiskeychaps
Nose
This is quite sweet initially, and rather gentle for 56.2% ABV. There’s a cream soda note, faint Parma violets, hazelnuts too. Fragrant wood comes through now, and slowly a dunnage note is coming through too. #thewhiskeychaps
Palate
Lovely mouthfeel, very syrupy, the ABV is really apparent on the palate, spicy sweetness, raisins, oiliness, lemon sherbet, chocolate, hazelnuts, raisins, vanilla, it’s nice and rounded too. #thewhiskeychaps
Stoned fruits, black pepper, blackcurrants, anise, pomello, and a bitter lemon, a touch of chilli, quite a range of flavours #thewhiskeychaps
Blood orange bitterness is spot on #thewhiskeychaps
— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) December 9, 2021
Finish
Quite long and chest warming, the palate does ramp up tbh, quite strong now, and those spicy/bitter notes overlap, espresso, dark chocolate, grapefruit, cinnamon, cough candy too. #thewhiskeychaps
My thoughts
This is a lovely dram for me, fruity and spicy with a zesty bitter tinge, very nice indeed. My only negative point would be that the heavily peated spirit is quite lost, in fact i had quite forgotten that it is heavily peated. Saying that i did enjoy the whisky, but it’s not a buy for me as i can get other heavily peated that comes across as heavily peated.
Overall: Really nice. Like the zingy concentrated fruitiness and subtle spices in this one. SOme might find it too sweet, but I like that. #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Longrow Red 13yr old Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Matured 51.6% ABV
Appearance
Wow, rose wine in colour here, no gold really detectable, swirl line is medium thick and breaks up straight away to medium thick legs. #thewhiskeychaps
Longrow Red 13-Year-Old Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon 51.6% ABV appearance: Dark auburn, dirty carrot orange. Not quite as viscous as the Chardonnay I would say. Thin to medium legs and not clinging to the glass for as long, not much of a swirl mark at all. #thewhiskeychaps pic.twitter.com/Zg0ju8O81p
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Nose
Fruity, very red berry, and the peat is stronger here. An earthiness and evergreen boughs are also very evident and perhaps a touch of menthol. #thewhiskeychaps
Wood polish, I can taste it on the back of my palate from nosing it. #thewhiskeychaps
Palate
Nice mouthfeel, and the peat is balanced so nicely with the fruit, reminds me of a certain Islay range tbh. again the ABV isn’t screaming at you, it is becoming spicier now, a real peppery bite in the tongue, red apple skins. #thewhiskeychaps
Palate: Another lovely oily arrival. Melted butter, cookie dough, stewed cherry and blackcurrent crumble, subtle xmas spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of clove), cardamom maybe? #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Finish
Slight drying and quite long again. The spices and dark fruits get quite hot again before it starts to fade, does linger for a while though, it’s a mouthful alright. #thewhiskeychaps
My thoughts
Overall I really like this Cabernet Sauvignon matured bottling, it is very fruity and more peat comes through, more of what i expected from the bottle, a bottle i’d gladly own.
Red 10yr old refill Malbec cask 52.5% ABV
Appearance
Orange gold I’m thinking, nice thick swirl line with slow syrupy legs. #thewhiskeychaps
Nose
sweet wood notes, cocktail cherries, slightly dusty, leather, that slightly evergreen thing going on, bbq meats, but also still sweet. #thewhiskeychaps
Cream soda coming through, red berry strudel, strawberry cheesecake too. #thewhiskeychaps
Nose: Ah, that's the stuff right there! Full on fruit and spice and all things nice! Decent ABV balance too, you know this one is CS, even though it's only 1% up on the cab, it seems way more #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Palate
Nice mouthfeel again, and like the Cab the peat is more prominent on the palate. It’s a big bold spicy dram this, no messing around. Cough candy, black liquorice, raspberry pavlova, black cherries, tobacco, chilli’s, cardamom, anise. #thewhiskeychaps
Palate: Thick and oily on arrival. Spice forward, but brief before the fruits emerge in force! THere's also a sprig of mint and a dusting of icing sugar and black pepper on the berries and cream #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Finish
Long side of medium in length, and the spices hang on, it’s quite hot with cinnamon, and most of the palate notes too, not for the faint hearted that’s for sure, a cold weather dram for me, again very nice, now I need some water #thewhiskeychaps
My thoughts
Now this is a full on dram, and i can see why many social media whiskey folk enjoy it, it’s a full on spice monster that takes no prisoners. It leaves a lasting impression to be honest, not one i will forget easily, i’d definitely have a bottle.
Distillery exclusive handfill bottle 58.3% ABV
Appearance
Quite light compared to the others, damp straw in colour, nice thick swirl line and medium thick legs. #thewhiskeychaps
Nose
Peat, and a wet forest walk initially, the evergreen thing is definitely here, blackcurrants and limes, cooked bacon joint, distant bonfire with a fruit medley, the most prominent peated nose of the 4 for me tbh. #thewhiskeychaps
So this one comes in at the highest ABV tonight, and the nose reinforces that. Big ABV followed by lovely sweet dark fruit boiled sweets. Blackcurrant dominates on the fruit front here #thewhiskeychaps pic.twitter.com/C4kvAknZ5F
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Palate
Nice mouthfeel again, peat is up front, and a peppiness like a peppered sausage, with spices. Full on slap around the face this one, literally a belter. Old leather and red fruits, strawberry sorbet, red fruit laces. Dates and raisins now. #thewhiskeychaps
Finish
Long, and full on, goes on and on and on, the spice from the palate continues, fisherman’s friends, figs, cloves, dates, raisins, I’m half expecting sulphur to pop in but it hasn’t, what a dram. #thewhiskeychaps
My thoughts
For me this is the best of the 4, there is so much going on both on the nose and palate, and i could easily sit with a single pour for well over an hour exploring it, it’s sumptuous and viscous.
Overall: This is a fantastic whisky journey in a glass. So much going on and you can double up by adding a drop of water too. Huge fruit, spices and an ever-changing drinking experience. Wonderful. #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) December 9, 2021
Overall tasting thoughts
This has been one of my favourite tastings we’ve done so far to be honesty, all four were full of flavour, definitely some of the more expressive whiskies iv’e had the opportunity to taste. i nope to try more from Longrow in the future.
All samples were purchased from the Artisan restaurant in Wishaw Scotland, they can be found on Facebook, and post lists of the whiskies they stock,their website can be found here.
