This Longrow Red 15 year old is only the second bottle I have bought from the series. But after last year’s fantastic Red and the festival bottling of 2020, I was pretty curious about this 2022 edition.
Yes, this series is relatively new to me, mainly because I’m not always the biggest fan of a finish or maturing in wine barrels. It can often be a hit or miss, which makes me a bit sceptical about such a whisky. Sometimes I find it too overpowering, and then it gets a certain sweetness that I don’t like and can’t get around. But when done right, it’s just the opposite and can be delicious. So let’s see how that will work out for this one.
At 15 years, this edition is the oldest Longrow Red released so far. It matured in bourbon barrels for 11 years before being finished in Pinot Noir barriques for another 4 years. After that, it was bottled at a strength of 51.4% ABV.
Longrow Red 15 year old tasting notes:
Nose: a little bit of smoke at first. Then tobacco leaves. Red berries and strawberries. Honey in the background. Smoked ham, followed by Rooibos tea.
Taste: oh, it’s very sweet and I have less peat smoke than in the nose. The wine notes have come more to the foreground. Sweet fruity tones of strawberries and a hint of blueberries. Cranberries too. There is this wine gum taste which is quite dominant. Followed by a touch of cinnamon.
Finish: mid-long to long with some smoke but mostly strawberries and wine gums.
I loved the previous edition, but I think this one is a bit disappointing. Although the nose is lovely, the palate and finish are too sweet at some points; the balance seems slightly off, making it too winey. Too bad, but unfortunately, this edition is not one for me.
