{"id":2355,"date":"2026-01-26T14:47:42","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T13:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/?p=2355"},"modified":"2025-12-02T11:02:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T10:02:58","slug":"6-x-longrow-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/?p=2355&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"6 x Longrow"},"content":{"rendered":"

A little while ago, my friend \u2014 and seasoned whisky jury member \u2014 Cecilia Hjortzberg joined me for a dive into six different Longrow bottlings from Springbank. Longrow is Campbeltown\u2019s peat-heavy wild child, often released with a generous dose of wine-cask influence. Some old, some new, some barely out of adolescence and others reassuringly mature \u2014 but all fascinating to taste side by side. Here\u2019s what we discovered!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Longrow 18 yo, 46%<\/span><\/h2>\n

From the very first sniff, this felt promising. Sweet black wine gums hit immediately, but behind them lurked something entirely different \u2014 a lightly seasoned steak tartare note, oddly charming rather than off-putting. A pleasant rubbery nuance appeared too, more smoky-gummy than burnt plastic. The nose was dense, compact, tricky \u2014 but lovely. Another striking aroma was burnt barbecue glaze: caramelised, slightly burnt edges with sweet sticky glaze beneath. Add to that melted vanilla ice cream, custard, and caramel sauce \u2014 like what\u2019s left when a tub of vanilla ice cream has been sitting out too long. Strange descriptors, yes. But genuinely delightful.<\/span><\/p>\n

The palate was its own adventure: salt liquorice \u2014 lots of it \u2014 subtle smoke, burnt crispbread, cocoa and coffee tones and an overall warmth that made us stop analysing and just enjoy. This is the dram you want after a long, cold, muddy forest walk: comforting, smoky in a gentle way, deeply satisfying. A calmer, softer, refined Springbank smoke. And yes \u2014 it smells absolutely fantastic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Longrow Red 7 yo Pinot Noir Cask Matured, 57.1%<\/span><\/h2>\n

Already on the very first sniff, we knew something was off. The nose opened with an odd mix of smoked ham and a sharp acidity that quickly slipped into sulphur, egg, and an earthy, farm-like funk: stable, hayloft, even cow manure. A splash of water did help \u2014 softening the aroma into something sweeter, more floral, and pleasantly waxy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully the palate was better than the nose. Some sweetness appeared, paired with peppery heat and a firm smokiness, but overall it felt rough and unbalanced. At 57.1%, the alcohol hit harder than expected. Water mellowed everything out, revealing honey, dry cocoa, and fresh fruitiness \u2014 but not enough to redeem the whole experience. We <\/span>want<\/span><\/i> to love everything Springbank puts out\u2026 but this release left us baffled. That it was chosen for release still puzzles us. In short: started badly, improved with water, never quite became good.<\/span><\/p>\n

Longrow 7 yo Gaja Barolo, 55.8%\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

This nose was a revelation \u2014 especially compared to the other 7-year-old in the line-up. We were met by a burst of dessert wine followed by a darker, damp character: wet leaves, autumn forest, even a touch of mushroom. Smoke was extremely faint. Instead came waves of ripe fruit: brown overripe banana, dates, and a hint of blackberry jam. Had we tasted this blind, we\u2019d never guess Longrow \u2014 or even a smoky whisky.<\/span><\/p>\n

The palate continued in the sweet direction: nuttiness, creamy warmth, and a bizarre but delightful association with pasta water or even creamy macaroni with ketchup. Add burnt sugar, molasses, roasted almonds, and firm oak bitterness edging toward tar. The finish was long, with a slightly burnt note that we partly disliked \u2014 yet the honeyed sweetness lingered beautifully. Water made the whisky sweeter and <\/span>much<\/span><\/i> smokier \u2014 a dry, clean, ashy smoke that surprised us both. The palate became incredibly concentrated, almost compact. With even more water the whisky flattened out, though remained fruity and chocolatey. A young whisky packed with personality. A shockingly good 7-year-old, with an unexpectedly mature nose and a charmingly fruit-driven style.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Longrow Red 11 yo Tawny Port, 57.5%<\/span><\/h2>\n

The very first impression sent us straight into a Swedish <\/span>gillestuga<\/span><\/i> \u2014 that slightly dark, dusty cellar living room of the 70s. Think damp summer cabin, old woodsheds, wet timber. There was also a faint sourness, bark, forest soil, and an herbal, almost perfumed quality: salvia, rosemary, a tiny enclosed herb cupboard.<\/span><\/p>\n

The palate kicked off peppery and almost aggressive. Then came the deep sweetness: muscovado sugar, dark fruit, raisins, dates, plums, and those syrupy red berries from a canned fruit cocktail. Smoke was nearly absent. Despite all the sweetness, the whisky held itself together fairly well. The finish was long with oak and cocoa. Water softened it \u2014 but also made it more uniform. The wine influence dominates heavily, which sometimes drowns the finer nuances. A subtle leather note appeared too, like the inside of a new leather belt or a fresh pair of shoes. A complex but enclosed whisky, interesting yet slightly overwhelmed by its own wine cask.<\/span><\/p>\n

Longrow 14 yo Burgundy Wood, 56.1%\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/h2>\n

The colour alone hinted at intensity \u2014 incredibly dark. And the nose delivered: Karlsson\u2019s glue, linoleum flooring, a flash of citrus, then deep dark fruit \u2014 dates, raisins, and ripe banana. A touch of Queen\u2019s jam even. Smoke was minimal. Compared to the others, this felt more balanced, with that recurring \u201cLongrow wine cask\u201d note present but not overpowering.<\/span><\/p>\n

The palate opened nutty (paranuts), with a pleasant earthy warmth. A peppery spice developed toward the finish, more pepper than bitterness, making it gentle despite its weight. A murky, brown-wood character appeared, and in the aftertaste something distinctly like gingerbread: ginger, clove, rich winter spices. A slight sourness disrupted the harmony a bit, as if something had sat out just a touch too long. Still, this whisky is absolutely something to cosy up with in the evening. Not perfect, but richer, warmer, and more enjoyable than several others in the line.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Longrow Red 11 yo Cabernet Franc, 55.9%<\/span><\/h2>\n

From the first moment, we knew this one had something special. Wet hay, soft and inviting. Balanced yellow fruit \u2014 pear and apple. A dirtier smoke than the others, but in the best possible way: rugged, interesting, charismatic. Underneath: honeydew melon, honey, sweet breadiness. With time came waxiness, then saffron \u2014 almost a saffron bun \u2014 and eventually a creamy note reminiscent of old-fashioned hard sweets: white and pink striped candies tasting of cream and synthetic strawberry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The palate mirrored the nose exactly: yellow fruit, sweetness, tropical punch-like intensity, and a long, bright finish. Crucially, the whisky felt <\/span>integrated<\/span><\/i> \u2014 cask and distillate working together instead of competing. No overpowering wine notes. Just harmony. A stunning whisky. Better than the 18-year-old for both of us. A bottle absolutely worth owning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Thoughts \u2013 Highlights, Surprises & a Clear Podium<\/span><\/h2>\n

After tasting the entire line, the variation was obvious \u2014 and so var v\u00e5ra favoriter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner: Longrow Red 11 yo Cabernet Franc<\/span><\/h3>\n

Balanced, tropical, complex, energetic. A whisky that punches far above its age and absolutely earns its price tag. It didn\u2019t just stand out \u2014 it dominated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Silver: Longrow 18 yo<\/span><\/h3>\n

Classic, elegant, warm. Wonderful when treated right, though sensitive to too much air. Still a whisky we\u2019d happily keep at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bronze: A Split Decision<\/span><\/h3>\n

My pick was the Longrow 7 yo Gaja Barolo and Cecilia\u2019s pick was the Longrow 14 yo Burgundy Wood. Different personalities, different charms \u2014 and that says something about how broad the Longrow identity can be.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A little while ago, my friend \u2014 and seasoned whisky jury member \u2014 Cecilia Hjortzberg joined me for a dive…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-okategoriserade-en"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6PMD0-BZ","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2355"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2363,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions\/2363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglarnasandel.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}