Thursday 10 February 2022.
A bit of history (those who are familiar with it can skip this part)
To my knowledge, the illustrious Springbank distillery was the first to add a second name to its arsenal. It was in 1973 and the new brand was named Longrow, after an old distillery in the region. However, it is not known when the first bottles were marketed.
The barley used to make Longrow is dried for 48 hours over a peat fire, followed by double distillation, and the liquid is released with a ppm of around 55. The idea was to show that it was possible to produce a whisky on the Main Land with as much peat as on Islay. The gamble paid off.
Interestingly, it is only to produce Longrow that the distillery's stills are heated with coal, in the old-fashioned way. Springbank is the only distillery never to have used cold filtration, let alone colouring.
Although increasingly popular, Longrow remains a quasi-confidential brand, with only 150 casks produced each year. It was independent bottler Silvano Samaroli who helped bring it to the attention of the experts, buying most of the original casks and making an excellent bargain. The 2,000 or so bottles he subsequently produced from these casks in the 1980s are now legendary, selling for several thousand euros each.
Today, only 4 bottlings are produced on a regular basis: the Longrow Peated, which is the only one in Springbank's Core Range, the Red, an annual limited edition in cask strength and finished in wine casks, the 18-year-old and the 21-year-old. There used to be a 10-year-old, a 15-year-old and a 100° Proof version, but these have all disappeared.
The barley used to make Longrow is dried for 48 hours over a peat fire, followed by double distillation, and the liquid is released with a ppm of around 55. The idea was to show that it was possible to produce a whisky on the Main Land with as much peat as on Islay. The gamble paid off.
Interestingly, it is only to produce Longrow that the distillery's stills are heated with coal, in the old-fashioned way. Springbank is the only distillery never to have used cold filtration, let alone colouring.
Although increasingly popular, Longrow remains a quasi-confidential brand, with only 150 casks produced each year. It was independent bottler Silvano Samaroli who helped bring it to the attention of the experts, buying most of the original casks and making an excellent bargain. The 2,000 or so bottles he subsequently produced from these casks in the 1980s are now legendary, selling for several thousand euros each.
Today, only 4 bottlings are produced on a regular basis: the Longrow Peated, which is the only one in Springbank's Core Range, the Red, an annual limited edition in cask strength and finished in wine casks, the 18-year-old and the 21-year-old. There used to be a 10-year-old, a 15-year-old and a 100° Proof version, but these have all disappeared.
The Line Up Project
The idea, of course, is to provide an exhaustive snapshot of the Longrow phenomenon. To do this, I have put together the official range, with the exception of the 21 year old, which I found disappointing. But it would be incomplete if I didn't add one of the Society Bottlings, which the distillery makes every year and reserves exclusively for subscribers to the Springbank Society. Some sumptuous Longrow have been released in this way. I should also mention the independent bottler Cadenhead, which has been owned by Springbank for 50 years, and which offers a few rarities from time to time.
The Tasting
Longrow Peated : Quite heavy peat, rustic, cheesy, sun-drenched cereals, vanilla, icing sugar. Slight minerality, nice fullness. A little sweetness, genoise, chantilly. Malt, woody lemon. Quite smooth and vanilla-flavoured, full-bodied but controlled finish, charcoal, lemon zest. Score: 86
Longrow 18 yo 2018 : Exotic fruits, fresh iodine, cane sugar. Sweet almonds. Herbaceous hints, brown sugar melting in a hot toddy. Toasted cereals, gingerbread, dry earth. Juicy fruits, plums and pears. Very soft on the palate, then some spices rise, but it's very well balanced. Vanilla, lemonade, icing sugar, almond milk. Bread crust. Very long, smooth, almost creamy finish. Hazelnuts, sandalwood. Score: 90
Longrow 1994 Cadenhead's Cask Strength Authentic Collection 25 yo : Almonds and cereals, wisps of smoke, soot and ash, a few hints of the barn typical of Springbank, icing sugar, genoise, coffee éclair, gingerbread, candied fruits. On the palate, peach juice, orgeat, then the spices rise. Honey, cereals, vanilla, sandalwood. Extremely long finish, ranging from powerful to sweet, very malty, a bit of lemon, nuts, wheat, dry earth. Score : 91
Longrow Red 10 yo 2020 : Thick, slimy, gooey red fruits. A hint of iodine, light smoke, wood in a damp forest. Blackcurrants, blackberries, tannins, sulphur, gooseberries. Pleasant on the palate, with raspberries and blueberries. Spices that fade after a while. Quite explosive finish, but slow anyway, still with red fruits. Score : 89
Longrow 2007 Society Bottling : Almonds and honey, elderberry juice. Candied lemon, malted cereals. Fine, grainy smoke. Iced sugar, iodine freshness. Herbaceous hints. Soft, smooth palate, rosewater, slightly malty, spices not too strong, paprika, cumin. Powerful, long, cerealy finish, wheat, barley, cowshed. Buttery biscuit. Score: 90
What I gain from it
- Honestly, Longrow alone would make a great distillery. But that's only a third of Springbank. That just goes to show the variety and complexity of this truly unique distillery.
- The profile is close to that of Springbank, and at the same time it is specific. Cereals and hay, a hint of iodine, dry earth - that's what it has in common with the rest of the distillery. Almonds, gingerbread and icing sugar are really specific to Longrow.
- Longrow peat is very pleasant, not as intense as Islayers, but softer, more pearly, a little dusty, with fine gravel. With age, it becomes bewitching, more swaying, almost vinous. Deep, like the old Highland Park. It's a special kind of peat, found nowhere else.
- I think the 18yo is really great, better than the Springbank one in my opinion. The Peated is very good, honest and satisfying. I'm more circumspect about the Red, I'm not sure that Longrow's farm peat goes well with wine casks. But there must be some very good ones out there. Rare editions are magical. As you can see, the notes are rather high, Longrow really is a choice morsel.
Conclusion
We tend to think of Springbank as the essential Springbank, but I'm beginning to wonder if I don't prefer Longrow. I was really pleased with this tasting, and will now be looking more closely at new releases from this brand. Unfortunately, I'm not the only one. Springbank's only fault is its success, which is increasingly endemic. Over the last few years, prices have started to soar. It has to be said that this is a family distillery that doesn't stock much. Springbank is becoming a luxury product in the same way as Macallan or Ardbeg, and this time it's really not their fault. Just reward for a job well done, but the problem is that we're going to have to go deep into debt to catch the next bottlings.
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