Longrow: 10 Year: 1995 (Scottish Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky: 10 Years: 46% ABV)
Visual: Custard gold.
Viscosity: Moderate speed and thickness streaks.
Nose; Peat smoke. Pencil shavings. Beef slices. Oak. Water lightens to sulfur and grass.
Body: Lime jelly. Peat. Smoke and oak. Dried beef. Peppercorn. Custard sweetness. Crusty brown bread. Warming. Water makes broth like and grassy. Slight crème brulee balance against the peat. Malt chocolate.
Finish: Peppercorn. Beef slices. Light custard cream biscuits. Malt chocolate. Paprika touch. Water makes grassy, wet rocks and salt.
Conclusion: In a right and fair world I could just say “Springbank. 10 Year. But Peatier” However this is not a right and fair world. Or, more correctly, I get the feeling most of you lot would think I was cheating. So, let’s give this a go.
Taken neat, it is pretty much the essential character of a peated whisky. Smoke, beef character, light sweetness and warming. It has its own peppercorn flourish, but really it shows mainly the base element of how to make a peated whisky. It is warming but not burning, rough edged but not harsh. The additional element of the peppercorn is lovely though, that touch of spiciness, but slightly grounded. It complements the beefy main dish of the whisky.
Where it shows that Campbeltown style is when you add water. That Springbank grassiness comes out, and a touch of brown sugar or crème brulee sweetness shows deep beneath the smoke. It’s the old friend of Springbank showing it’s head. You now have a rustic, grassy character, as defining for Campbeltown as Islay has its iodine and salt sea breeze, but here in peated joy.
As everyone know, I love Springbank, and I love peat, so this is right up my street. For old times sake I have to give the nod to Springbank over this, but frankly they are both wonderful complex, warming and welcoming whisky. Try one, the other, or both, you are never let down.
Background: At the time I took the photo of this bottle I thought the 1995 labelling as a bit odd, as that would have been bottled near ten years ago. Looking online it seems to be a thing, I’ve seen a few specifically 1995 bottlings. Anyway, Longrow is Springbank’s more peaty bottling. I found this at Brewdog Bristol and used it to round off a short session.
