Ever had one of those weeks at work where Murphy's Law seems to be your new best friend? Projects go awry, emails are misunderstood, and even your morning cup of Starbucks seems to be conspiring against you. Well, imagine stretching that week across an entire lifetime, and you'll get a glimpse into the life of John Duff, one of the most adventurous whisky entrepreneurs of the 19th century.

In his life, John Duff was a respected character in the Scotch whisky industry. But he lived a life filled with, let's just say, "learning opportunities." His whisky career began at the famous GlenDronach Distillery where he was one of the distillery managers. Within a few years, he'd co-founded the Glenlossie Distillery in 1876. Things went swimmingly for about a decade, but by 1888, he had a thirst for adventure and a new itch to scratch.

So John travelled to the Transvaal in South Africa, aiming to make a mark on a whole new continent by setting up the first-ever distillery in South Africa – and quite possibly the whole of the African continent. Alas, his timing was off. The looming Boer War and the South African belligerence against all things British including John made for an unstable business climate. John’s dreams, along with his finances, were left in tatters.

With admirable resilience, John then decamped to the United States in pursuit of his whisk(e)y dreams, aiming to bring a touch of the Scottish highlands to the state famous for its bourbon. Unfortunately, anti-Colonial sentiment once again took hold here too, sending John fleeing back across the pond to the UK.

Back in Scotland, John was down but not out. Unfazed by his previous misadventures, he opened the Longmorn Distillery in 1893. Just five years later, Duff established the Benriach Distillery right next door. During this period, the Scotch industry was in full swing – prices of barrels were skyrocketing and it seemed that there couldn’t be enough whisky to go around. Unfortunately, John’s knack for poor timing reared its head. The “Pattison Crash”—a catastrophic recession—swept through the industry just months Benriach Distillery was commissioned. The overproduction of Scotch led to many distilleries with unsellable whisky while prices fell dramatically. Whisky business began dying like flies and John finally declared bankruptcy in 1909 and sold off both Longmorn and Benriach distilleries.

Although John suffered from a hilariously bad sense of timing, the whisky he made was very good. Longmorn continued to be well-regarded and became a vital component in many blended whiskies such as Dewar's and Chivas Regal. Today, Longmorn is recognised by those in the know for its high-quality single malts, even though not a lot of marketing is done for the distillery itself.

In fact, there is today a cult following for Longmorn's single malts in Japan. And much of this is due to an enterprising young man named Masataka Taketsuru who was something of an apprentice at the distillery in 1919.

Hailing from a sake brewing family, Taketsuru visited Scotland to learn the craft of whisky-making from the masters and take that knowledge back to Japan. For several months, Taketsuru apprenticed at Longmorn Distillery. The experience at Longmorn left such an impression on Taketsuru that he carried the essence of its craftsmanship across oceans back to Japan.

At the distilleries he established under the banner of the Nikka Whisky Co. (namely Yoichi and Miyagikyo), the designs of the copper stills are said to mirror those of Longmorn's. This design choice was a tribute, a nod to the knowledge that Taketsuru had gained during his time at Longmorn. 

And so this is the story behind the bottle we're reviewing today: the Longmorn 11YO Singapore Exclusive Single Cask, Maggie's Collection by Highlander Inn bottled for Friends With Drams Singapore.

The Highlander Inn, as it happens, is a snug and inviting bar and bottler based in Craigellachie, in the heart of Scotland’s renowned Speyside whisky region. Besides its cosy rooms and genuine Scottish hospitality, the Inn's main attraction is undeniably its whisky bar, helmed by Tatsuya Minagawa. A Japanese gentleman with a knack for curating exceptional spirits, Tatsuya-san worked previously as a brand ambassador for Suntory in Europe. Drawn by the pull of Speyside, he moved to Scotland, working at the Inn before eventually taking the reins himself.

But who’s Maggie, you ask? Well, you're looking at her art. The range takes its name from a well-loved Scottish artist, Maggie Riegler, whose vibrant illustrations bring a splash of colour to each label. 

Maggie Riegler's story, much like the whisky she helps present, spans continents. Born in Darjeeling, India in 1944, to Scottish parents who were tea-planters in Colonial India, she was nurtured in a melting pot of cultures. Fun fact: her nanny was the wife of the famous Sherpa Tenzing Norgay who, with Sir Edmund Hillary, became one of the first people to summit Mount Everest.

In her prime, she was a well-known Scottish artist who took commissions from Aberdeen Art Gallery, The British Embassy in Cairo, The Liverpool Education Authority, The Royal Scottish Museum and The Scottish Arts Council.

In her later years, she moved to quiet Craigellachie and formed a bond with the local community as she did smaller scale commissions. As a friend of the former owner of The Highlander Inn, she was commissioned to produce many paintings. Even after her passing in 2012, her whimsical artwork lives on in the Maggie's Collection series of bottlings. Her artistic style, strongly evoking a natural history realism, brings each bottle to life.

With that in mind, let's now move to have a taste of this Longmorn 11!

Longmorn 11 Years Old Singapore Exclusive Single Cask Single Malt, Maggie’s Collection, bottled by Highlander Inn for Friends With Drams 57.2% ABV – Review

Colour: Light honey with slow legs.

Nose: It's a big, rich aroma and full of depth, and yet it's so clean and fresh. It's actually like a mix of Scotch and top-notch American rye.

Off the bat, it hits you with richness that’s equal parts sweet and peppy. There's this powerful blast of brown sugar, molasses, and caramel, with very well-integrated flavours of candied oranges and dates. Right at the same time, there's an upfront hit of cloves, anise, and this kind of cool peppermint and liquorice vibe that ties everything together.

It's initially rather intense, especially the syrupy sweetness and that bit of heat from the pepper. But just giving it a few swirls and letting it sit for a bit works wonders: it gets this beautiful peanut butter and jam (or what Americans call jelly) thing going, and even gives off vibes of a really good, well-aged American rye.

Eventually, as the aromas fully develop, there’s even a distinct Milo note – I kid you not. Yeah that’s right, it’s got a malted hot cocoa note going on.

Palate: The first thing you notice on the palate is this oiliness that spreads out and clings to your tongue. Oily and unctuous. But then the flavours start to unravel in waves, and there's a lot of nuances to unpack here.

I’m first hit with the sweetness of dense fruit cake, vanilla, and smooth tannins reminiscent of English breakfast tea. The spices kick in and dance around the middle of your tongue, and as it develops, you start to pick up light notes of caramel, crème brulee with slightly over-burnt caramel brittle, and a distinct aroma of roasted peanuts and peanut skins.

Finish: The finish is very long, it’s sweet, freshness, herbaceous and also very nuanced. There's no peat here, but there's definitely aromatic woodiness, and this light, chalky sensation that leaves your teeth a little dry. There’s somewhat of a bittersweet burnt note, imagine a piece of burnt toast drenched in maple syrup and finished with a hint of peppermint – that’s the taste left lingering in your mouth. Cocoa powder (or Milo to be precise) also make a comeback right at the end.

My Thoughts:

You've got this journey through an aroma that's reminiscent of a high-end chocolatier – sweet, but not too sweet, with that familiar cocoa aroma that pulls you in. When you taste it, there's even more going on. It might pack a punch at first, especially with an ABV of 57.2%, but give it a swirl, give it a moment, and it really evolves and shows a lot of nuances. It goes from this somewhat reserved profile to a fun, Milo and peanut buttery goodness.

It's a bold spirit that's not afraid to show off its personality, and it will definitely shine for any whisky lover who enjoys rich flavour and character. There's heat, there's spice, but all you need is a few seconds of patience, and you'll really find it's so worth the wait. For what’s worth, the best movie of this year is 3 hours long (Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer).

@CharsiuCharlie