The 2022 edition of Longrow Red is a 15 year old. A nice step up from last year’s Longrow Red 10 Years from Malbec casks. This single malt has been matured for eleven years in bourbon barrels followed by four years in fresh Pinot Noir barriques. The wine casks come from Grant Taylor’s Valli vineyards in New Zealand. As usual, the whisky is bottled at cask strength.
It’s the first time I notice the local distributors are mentioned with their addresses on the back label: The Nectar, Hawe Bremen, Beija-Flor, Fourcroy, etc.
Longrow Red 15 yo – Pinot Noir Cask Matured (51,4%, OB 2022, 9400 btl.)
Nose: a rather mellow start. Bramble jam stands out against a background of smouldering barbecue smoke. A lot of tobacco leaves and old fabrics. Smoked ham. Even a little manure and hints of a musty wine cellar. There’s also a brighter side of red apples and redcurrants. It’s mature, with a slightly subdued profile, but showing nice aromas and no off-notes (either sulphury or winey) for me.
Mouth: a lot of smoke and wet earthy notes come out at first, quickly followed by winey notes. Definitely more wine influence than I expected from the nose. Toffee and strawberries. Then astringent notes start to take over, like burnt Mediterranean herbs and a trace of leafy bitterness. More cranberries now. Hints of saline soy sauce and smoke as it fades.
Finish: long, smoky and sweet, with red fruits and salinity.
After nosing this Longrow Red, I expected a great edition, nicely integrated and mature. However, on the palate it loses some of its balance, becoming slightly rough and not entirely in sync with the wine. Not a must-have edition in my opinion.