Longrow 10 yo Campbeltown Scotch

Longrow 10yo Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch, 750ml, tall bottle with tube, 92 proof, $60-90 (due to dwindling supply).



Of the 30 or so distilleries that used to exist in Campbeltown only two remain, and that is in name only. Longrow is made by Spingbank in the same faciity with the same stills. However, it is not the same whisky. Longrow is peated more and drier, closer to an Islay in taste then Springbank. It is, in fact, close to the way scotch was made in general a 100 years ago with an extended drying period of the malt by peat.

Longrow is not made very often and so stocks are usually small and when the supply starts drying up the prices rise. That is what is happening now with this edition of Longrow. What was a $45 bottle a year ago is now in the $60's and rising. If you can find one near the original price now is the time to snap it up.

Being Valentine's Day I took the wife out for her favorite meal and in general ate too much for lunch. We tried to walk it off with some antiqueing (it is her day afterall) around the local shops but that only helped a little so off to home we went to be slugs in front of the Home Theater for a while watching "Chicago". After that I needed a scotch so I pulled down this weeks winner #11 and sat to write this review.

This 10yo is a lighter amber color then the now very rare 18 yo version. The nose is full of smoke with a faint touch of licorice. Upon tasting you get the full effect of the smoke with the silght medicinal quality like Laphroaig but not as strong. This smokiness is well balanced with the sweetness from the sherry casks and not as, for lack of a better term, oily as an Islay malt. The finish is strong and long with a hint of saltiness on the sides. Very pleasent.

If you are a fan of heavily smoked scotch, Longrow should be high on your list if not already in your collection. As they say in the UK - ACE! :love:

Mmmmm, I like the sound of "heavily smoked" :thumbs:

Thanks for another great review

another great review :thumbs:

Last night I received a bottle of Longrow CV, and of course I had to try it immediately. What a great whisky! Longrow CV (which stands for Chariman's Vat) is a vatting of different ages of Longrow, from 6-14 years old and from casks ranging in size from 50 L to 550 L. It's 750 mL and 46% ABV and can be had for about $55-$60 online.

Initially, this whisky seems a lot like an Islay, with a strong aroma of peat and iodine, but there is barely any smokiness in the peat unlike many peated whiskies. After a little time, there emerge some nicely sharp lime notes, and a nice base of sweet maltiness underneath. The flavor is pretty similar to the nose - starting out with peat and iodine again, then the same lime, but stronger now, and there is a burst of salt along with it, and that base of sweet malt and now some oak. The finish is very long, with peat and pepper that fades to seawater and finally ends on a light sweetness.

This is an outstanding whisky, and although I've only had two drams it is in the running for a new favorite. It's very vigorous, for lack of a better word. The flavors jump around, never really settling down and remaining very interesting. The peat, lime and saltiness is a great combination, and the flavors seem fuller than in some other peaty whiskies. For the peat phreaks out there, this is very highly recommended.