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Day 8 - KWM 2024 This Is Not An Advent Calendar - Longrow Peated

Posted on December 9, 2024

*NOTE: If you have one of our Not An Advent Calendar Tastings set or kit and did not receive the email for the Day 1-5 Virtual Recap tasting that took place on Thursday, December 5th, please let me know.

Day 8 — Longrow Peated

By Evan

If there is one distillery you might be surprised to see in the 2024 KWM This Is Note An Advent Calendar Tasting series, it is likely this one. Today we will be sampling Longrow; a heavily peated Single Malt Scotch made by Springbank Distillery.

We have featured whisky from Springbank in a few of our prior whisky calendars, but it was way back in 2018 when we featured it last. There is one big reason for that.

Over the past few years at Kensington Wine Market – and likely other liquor stores with a big whisky focus as well – there is one question that is fielded over and over by staff. And the answer is nearly always a disappointment to the customer asking it.

The question is: “Where do you keep your Springbank?”

The answer to that question, with some variation so that we don’t feel or sound like a broken record, is: “We don’t have any.”

I have talked about this issue in a few different places in the past.

The main issue is that we do not have – or at least incredibly rarely have – Springbank whisky on our shelves are:

Springbank is a relatively small distillery.
Springbank has become incredibly sought-after because it is a relatively small distillery that also happens to make great whisky.
Springbank makes great whisky that is incredibly sought-after and because it is a relatively small distillery, there is tremendous batch variation from release to release – even in their core range.
Springbank makes whisky that is very inconsistent and varies from batch to batch. This makes each batch of the whisky it releases incredibly sought-after: by Springbank lovers, drinkers new to whisky that have heard about how good Springbank is and want to find out what the fuss is about, and, sadly, by collectors and speculators. All at the same time.

In many ways, Springbank has become the centre of a perfect storm of whisky fervour that makes the likes of Macallan, Ardbeg Day releases, and Pappy Van Winkle green with envy. That it has managed to become THE sought-after whisky without even a fraction of the above name’s marketing budget or any of the outright intention of doing so is an impressive feat.

Enough about that, though. Let’s discuss the distillery and then get onto tasting this whisky. Here is a brief (by my standards – you are probably well aware that I have far too much love or the words I manipulate and abuse into the shape of sentences and paragraphs) overview:

(The Holy Trinity: Springbank, Hazelburn, and Longrow.)

Springbank was founded in 1828. It resides in Campbeltown. It is currently one of three operating distilleries within the town and region, the others being Glengyle – which is owned by the same group that owns Springbank – and Glen Scotia Distillery. Springbank is a hands-on, small production, actually human operated, unapologetically old-school, warts-and-all distillery creates three different styles of whisky:

Springbank, which is 2.5 times distilled lightly peated whisky.
Hazelburn, which is a triple distilled unpeated(ish) whisky.
Longrow, which is 2 times distilled heavily peated whisky.

(Springbank Distillery — where everything is done by hand. Photo by Evan)

All three styles of whisky made at Springbank use barley that has been malted on-site, by hand, using the time-honoured traditions and ancient tools of the malting trade. No electric machinery can be found at Springbank’s floor maltings unless one of the staff keeps his cell phone in his back pocket.

Much of the romance that surrounds Springbank is its unvarnished and unpolished Campbeltown style. The whisky it creates can be farmy, funky, coastal, rugged, and absolutely gorgeous. The distillery’s heavily peated Longrow type of whisky we will taste to day takes this style and amps it up with the use of a heavily peated malt.

Let’s dive in!

Longrow Peated – 46%

Heavily peated, twice distilled whisky created at Springbank Distillery. Matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks.

Evan’s Tasting Note

Nose: Full of dirty smoke and oily coastal notes, countered with of fresh grains and orchard fruit. Like standing on the deck of an old ferry as the engines throttle into full reverse as it slows down to dock, churning the seawater and coughing up exhaust fumes along with bits of rust. Underneath is fresh oatmeal, grapefruit slices, peeled apples, and menthol.

Palate: Salty and oily up front before it settles into fruit and grain mixed with turf and smoke. A platter of cantaloupe and honeydew melon and grape bunches sitting next to thinly sliced Parma ham and Mortadella, with a few capers tossed in for garnish.

Finish: Soft coastal smoke along with light fruit and floral notes on the fade.

Comment: What more is there to say? This is a damn good bottle of Longrow, even given that it probably mostly young whisky in here.

As much as Springbank’s popularity has skyrocketed over the past few years, my own excitement for their bottles has dwindled. Call me counterculture, or more likely counterintuitive. There is still a thrill in tasting whisky from the distillery though, regardless of how difficult it is to find. That is thanks to the authenticity and tradition that each bottle represents, right from the old school label to the whisky itself. It is unadorned and unhurried in every aspect – besides the non-age statedness of this specific bottle at least!

Cheers,
Evan