This is a Longrow matured 11 years in a recharred ex-sherry cask, before being bottled at cask strength of 56.8% bottled for Quaich Bar in Singapore. It is a totally different beast from the NAS core expression, but (spoiler) the core expression acquits itself well.

Distillery: Longrow

Region: Campbeltown

Price: ~$20/30ml (dram from a bar)

Cask Type: Ex-sherry recharred (what type of sherry is unknown)

ABV: 56.8%

Chill-filtered: No

Color: 1.4, tawny (natural colour).

Rested ~10 minutes before drunk neat in a glencairn.

Nose: Sweet meat drippings, five spice powder, mustard, cranberry, barley, apple, leather, pasta water(!). Cranberry and apple becomes more upfront with time. A drop of water brings out more bovine and pasta water notes.

Palate: Medium-thick texture, smouldering hay, more mustard, BBQ sauce, cranberry, hojicha. Water yields salted butterscotch and emphasises the hojicha.

Finish: Very dry, smoky and long finish. Pineapple, cherry wood smoked bacon builds and builds, steak, crisp salty pork belly, white pepper, thyme, rosemary, tandoori rub, a bit of crisp pear and hints of buttercream pops up after a long time. An undercurrent of hojicha emerges with a drop of water. Another drop really brings out the buttercream and pear further. Endless cherry wood smoke and metallic meat tang.

Conclusion: A bit temperamental. I think it needs a bit more time in the cask to tame it than 11 years. I was told it was bottled only this year, and has had very little time to open up. It shows. There is potential, make no mistake. The distillate and cask both seem very good, but even ample water and air still evince a feeling of untapped potential.

I would prefer more of a forward, deep, lingering fruit on the finish like in a Springbank (I know Longrow is from the same guys) to balance out the meaty notes. This reminds me vaguely of the ultra-meaty TWA x Three Rivers Tokyo 6yo Islay I had, but that had the virtue of being unapologetically sweet, smoky and meaty (for better and for worse). This stops short of that, but there is also not enough fruit to lift and fill in for the more subdued meatiness. Balance notwithstanding, it is way more robust, complex and flavourful than the core Longrow NAS expression at 46%.

If it were named by the SMWS: Ir-ragu-lar

Score: 85

Scotch Review #15, Whisky Network Review #17

H.Y.