The Longrow Red series is discontinued and followed up by a new Longrow 100° Proof. The first (annual) release is around 6 years of age, matured in refill bourbon casks and then finished in refill Pinot Noir casks for an extra 2 years or so.
So even though the emphasis seems to be on the strength, the red wine theme is still taken further as well (but hidden on the front label). In fact the label is still red too. Personally, if you’re replacing a series and planning to move beyond red wine (which I’m not quite sure of), then I would have started off the series with something completely different.
Longrow 100° Proof (57,1%, OB 2025, Batch 25/01)
Nose: nice enough. There are clear red wine markers, like strawberry jam, red grapes and tobacco. Then some classic Springbank elements like oily notes, citrus and dried seaweed. Red apples and a whiff of marzipan sweetness too. Burnt toast and light smoke underneath.
Mouth: rather oily and sweet, with more phenolic notes now, along with charred oak and a light meaty touch. More lemons, mineral notes and earthy peat, including a whiff of rubber. Then a hint of sweet red fruits, but no wine as such. Black peppercorns, roasted nuts, a creamy maltiness and more bonfire smoke in the end.
Finish: long, on salty notes, black pepper and more oak char. A very mild bitter edge as well.
A young Longrow, of course, but the good news is that the wine doesn’t play a major role. In fact I find it rather well balanced. Not a must-have but I wasn’t a big fan of the Red series either. Now let’s hope there will be other cask versions at 100 Proof in the future.