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Showing posts with label Campbeltown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Campbeltown. Show all posts

Longrow Red 13 Year Old Malbec Cask Impressions

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Longrow Red 13 Year Old Malbec Cask Impressions


What is it?

Distillery: Longrow
Name: Red, Malbec Cask Matured, Aged 13 Years
Make: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Extra Info: Malbec (sometimes called Côt and Auxxerois) is a purple grape variety used in making red wine and is grown predominantly in Argentina. Malbec is known for its blackberry, plum and black cherry flavours and a sweet tobacco finish – a perfect match for a peated whisky perhaps?

Why did I buy it?

I have been chasing a Longrow Red for a long time and snapped up this expression when it became available locally. Longrow Red is a limited release from Longrow and each batch uses casks seasoned with different red wine varieties. For this batch the spirit was aged for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels before being finished for 15 months in fresh Malbec casks sourced from Stellenbosch in South Africa. This particular batch is limited to 9,000 bottles worldwide and Longrow Red expressions are usually only available in very limited quantities outside of European markets.

What did I think of it?

Presentation: Keeps with the current Longrow white labelling with the use of red helping to denote this as a Longrow Red expression.

Appearance: Dark orange in the glass, amber in the bottle. Naturally coloured and turned cloudy in the glass for me; a product of being non-chill filtered, not a fault. Bottled at 51.3% ABV.

Aroma: Clear tobacco notes with a restrained, not overpowering smokiness. A little fizz in the nostrils, red orchard stone fruits and rasins soaked in alcohol. 

Flavour: A delicious full mouthfeel, sweet fruits at first with building spice as the liquid warms in the mouth. A slight bitterness like coffee beans, balancing the initial sweetness before the prickly spice takes over.

Finish: Long powerful finish, dark chocolate aftertaste, the slightest tingle left on the tongue with a mild warming in the chest and a lasting smoky kiss.

Would I buy it again?

My chances of finding this particular expression again are slim, but I would definitely buy other Longrow Red expressions when available. Use of ex-wine casks is quickly becoming a signature of the Australian whisky industry and Longrow Red is a great example of what the Scots can achieve matching ex-red wine casks with a peaty Campbeltown spirit.



Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.
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Kilkerran 12 Year Old Impressions

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Kilkerran 12 Year Old Impressions

What is it? 

Distillery: Glengyle, Campbeltown, Scotland
Name: Kilkerran 12 Year Old
Make: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Extra Info: Glengyle is the fourth whisky label to be owned and operated by J&A Mitchell and Co. along with Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn. The distillery is named after the original Glengyle distillery, founded in Campbeltown by William Mitchell in 1875 and operated until 1925. The name Kilkerran is used to distinguish the brand from the similarly named 'Glen Gyle' which is an established blended Highland malt scotch whisky and in reference to the Gaelic name of the original settlement where Campbeltown now stands.

Why did I buy it?

Every whisky I have tried from the Campbeltown region to date I have loved, so it was only natural for me to try the new kid on the block. It has taken a few months for the Kilkerran 12 Year Old to make it to the Australia market and a slew of positive reviews have caused it to be already sold out in many regions...So I bought two bottles. Needless to say, I was very excited to taste.

What did I think of it?

Presentation: Strikingly simple. Black text and graphics on a textured white background adorn both the packaging and clear glass bottle label. 
Appearance: Bright gold, non-chill filtered with no added colouring and bottled at 46%.

 I'm going to break from tradition here and discuss my tasting experience with the Kilkerran 12 Year Old. There are two main ways to drink whisky, critically where you attempt to systematically critique each aspect of the whisky and draw out as much information as you can; and non-critically, where you just sit back and enjoy the bloody thing. I am sitting here right now with barely a finger left in my first bottle of Kilkerran 12 Year Old and my tasting notes are still blank! I really want to explore the depths of this whisky but I keep giving up, putting my pen down and enjoying it instead. The following notes are taken against my will, I would have much preferred to just drink it.

Aroma: A generous fruit bowl with a banana just past its prime. Wet driftwood.

Flavour: A subtle smoky woodiness surprises since it does not smell smoky at all. 

Finish: Long, spicy tingle with a mild warming deep in the chest and a pinch of salt on the aftertaste.

Would I buy it again?

Yes and I thought I might, hence why I bought two bottles to avoid being disappointed in the future. The Kilkerran 12 Year Old is a great whisky and another winner from Campbeltown. I know I will have to come back and revisit my notes when I open the second bottle but for this first taste of a brand new Campbeltown whisky, I was more than happy to just sit back and enjoy the bloody thing.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.
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Springbank 15 Year Old Impressions

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Springbank 15 Year Old Impressions

What is it? 

Distillery: Springbank, Campbeltown, Scotland
Name: Springbank 15 Year Old
Make: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Extra Info: In 1970, Springbank bottled a 50 Year Old single malt whisky. Distilled in 1919, only 24 bottles were made and in 2013, the last of these was sold by the distillery to a Chinese whisky collector for an astonishing £50,000.

Why did I buy it?

Buying the Springbank 15 Year Old single malt gave me an opportunity to compare it to the younger Springbank 10 and 12 Year Old expressions. The Springbank 15 Year Old is priced similarly to the 12 Year Old Cask Strength but there is still an 18 and a 21 Year Old expression in the current standard Springbank range that are considerably more expensive.

What did I think of it?

Presentation: Maintaining the common design language of the Springbank 10 Year Old and Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength this time with a green Springbank logo and lettering denoting the expression as aged 15 years. Bottled at 47% ABV.
Appearance: All Springbank whisky is bottled non-chill filtered and without additional colouring. You can see from the image above that the 15 Year Old is darker than the 10 and 12 Year Old expressions. Note that the 15 Year Old has had water added to bring the ABV down to 47% whereas the 12 Year Old is bottled without dilution at cask strength. The 12 Year Old would be lighter in colour if bottled at the same ABV as the 12 and 15 Year Old expressions.

Aroma: Notes of sweet apple and lightly smoked bacon. Water brings out more wood spices and some sherry.

Flavour: Smooth, oily mouthfeel that picks up spice as it warms in your mouth. Water calms the spice somewhat and reveals creamy vanilla and some chocolate maybe.

Finish: Medium length, with an initial wash of fresh sweetness, followed by a spicy fade that for me, appeared to encourage salivation. A great choice for a digestif perhaps?

Would I buy it again?

Yes, I would. Do I like it more than the similarly priced 12 Year Old Cask Strength? Hard to say. I think the 15 Year Old has a nicer finish but the 12 Year Old has more options for dilution and experimentation. The 12 Year Old also varies from batch to batch, meaning trying a new batch is like trying a new whisky. I am probably more likely to buy another bottle of the 12 Year Old before I buy the 15 Year Old again, but the 15 Year Old is a good benchmark to measure the other whiskies in the standard Springbank range against.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.
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Longrow Peated Single Malt Impressions

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Longrow Peated Single Malt Impressions

What is it? 

Distillery: Springbank, Campbeltown, Scotland
Name: Longrow Peated
Make: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Extra Info: Springbank produces three whisky ranges; Longrow which is twice distilled and heavily peated (50-55 ppm), Springbank which is 2.5 times distilled and lightly peated (7-8 ppm) and Hazelburn which is triple distilled and unpeated.

Why did I buy it?

I bought the Longrow Peated to sample one of the peatiest offerings from Campbeltown. Longrow made with locally sourced barely, dried using locally source peat, producing a uniquely Campbeltown smoke.

What did I think of it?

Presentation: The Longrow Peated uses the same clear glass bottle as the Springbank range, but with gold text and iconography on a white label. It's an even simpler design than the Springbank range and looks just as clean and elegant. The cardboard box that the whisky comes in is also cut out at the front to show the bottle inside. Another great package from Springbank.

Appearance: With no added colouring or chill-filtering (note it is bottled at 46% ABV, since the esters that chill-filtration typically remove are soluble at 46% ABV and greater), the gold colour (a little darker than the Springbank 10 Year Old) comes purely from the barrels the whisky is matured in.

Aroma: Smoke, nutmeg, malt and butter notes.

Flavour: Balanced, difficult to pinpoint any dominant flavours, even the smoke is restrained. Smooth delivery. 

Finish: Medium length, smooth fading spice leaving a bitter aftertaste.

Would I buy it again?

Yes, this is a great whisky and is reasonably priced. An essential whisky for any peat freak who is willing to venture outside of Islay. I am very keen to try the special release Longrow Red and 18 Year Old expressions.

 Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.
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Springbank 10 Year Old Impressions

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Springbank 10 Year Old Impressions

What is it? 

Distillery: Springbank, Campbeltown, Scotland
Name: Springbank 10 Year Old
Make: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Extra Info: Springbank has been owned and operated by the Mitchell family for five generations and is the only distillery in Scotland where 100% of the whisky making process is carried out on site.

Why did I buy it?

Springbank had been popping up on my radar for a while, but it wasn't until I googled it that I knew I had to try it. The Springbank 10 Year Old is the distillery's flagship expression but unlike some larger distilleries, no Springbank whisky contains e150 colouring and all whiskies are non-chill filtered. It was also a chance to try another non-Islay peated whisky since both Springbank and Longrow expressions are peated. 

What did I think of it?

Presentation: I love the packaging of Springbank whiskies. Simple, clean and elegant. A nicely shaped clear glass bottle is shared across the Springbank range with differently coloured labels used to distinguish the various expressions. The Springbank 10 Year Old has a black label with orange and white writing. The Springbank watermark is repeated over the background of the label and on the cardboard box the whisky comes in, cut out to show the bottle inside. Unique and very stylish.

Appearance: With no added colouring or chill-filtering (note it is bottled at 46% ABV, since the esters that chill-filtration typically remove are soluble at 46% ABV and greater), the light gold colour comes purely from the barrels the whisky is matured in.

Aroma: Stewed fruit, earthy smoke, caramel and vanilla.

Flavour: Light smoke, oak, cinnamon. 

Finish: Long, tingling spice lingers.

Would I buy it again?

Without a doubt. The Springbank 10 Year Old is one of those whiskies that I will always keep a bottle of on my shelf. Some of the limited expressions from Springbank can fetch a pretty penny but the 10 Year Old is very reasonably priced and easy to find at specialist whisky retailers or online. I highly recommend that you begin your Campbeltown scotch whisky education with a bottle of Springbank 10 Year Old.

 Disclaimer: I do not claim to have the nose and palate of a Master Sommelier, however, I am working to train my senses to better identify whisky aromas and flavours. Consider all my whisky 'Impressions' to be a work in progress and I hope to come back to each of them in the future to see if I notice anything different. Most importantly, I'm not just throwing around random aromas, flavours and adjectives for the hell of it; I am trying really hard to critically describe each whisky I taste - WhiskyDad.
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