This is my first Longrow experience, I’ve only tried Springbank 10, and 15 before from Campbeltown, I am a sucker for these special finishes; Shiraz (Syrah for old world wines) is one of my favourite grape variety, Australia is famous for their Shiraz. I like the full-bodied, dark fruit forward, chocolaty profile of Australian Shiraz, let’s see if it gets carried over here.

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Longrow Red Australian Shiraz

 

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 53.7%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter neat

Colour: Coppery-Amber

Nose: Red fruits infused with wonderful peat smoke, raspberry, strawberries, salt, orange custard, cacao, hints of honey, drop of water opens up more citrus notes.

Palate:Lush in the mouth, sweet peat, more orange notes, red berries, chocolate, smoked meat, salt, and a hint tannins on the side of the mouth.

Finish:Long, smoky finish, lots of smoke! Complex finish with spices, red fruits, custard, dried grapes, and more smoke.

Score: 88/100

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Just noticed it’s my 20th review! Anyway, this is one powerful whisky, loads of smoke though out is my impression, I like the amount of non-medicinal smoke, lush and complex whisky, develops well on the palate, I typically favour sweet/fruity whisky, and this delivers them on a smoky platter. Back to the original question, did the cask finish transfer the essence of Australian Shiraz? Sure! But with my limited whisky experience I wouldn’t have guessed it was a Shiraz cask finish. Looking forward to more Longrow and Campbeltown offerings!

 

Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 53

 

Region: Speyside

ABV: 59.7%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat with five drops of distilled water

Colour:Tawny

Nose:Faint ethanol as expected with a cask strength, but surprisingly acceptable. Waves after waves of sherry notes, stewed apples and berries, dried berries, figs, hints of orange. Sweet sherry spices, a small minty tone.

Palate:Powerful, strong, sherry bomb. Without water this is aren’t too palatable for me. With water, sweet sherry notes, lots of spices, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg. Then it comes in with a wave of oranges, stewed apples, berries and toffee.

Finish:Medium-long finish, dry, sweet berries with a pinch of oak, with lingering spices, slight hint of salt.

Score: 87/100

 

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Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 55

 

Region: Speyside

ABV: 60.9%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat with five drops of distilled water

Colour:Tawny, a shade darker than the 53

Nose:Much more rounded compared to the 53. Vanilla, chocolate, oak, not as fruit forward as the 53, array of dried apricots, figs. Christmas cake, dried raisins, caramel, cinnamon, nuts. Doesn’t have the sharp ethanol notes of the 53, can easily get pass the subtle alcohol and dive right into the sherry goodness.

Palate:Even with the slightly higher proof, this is much more palatable. Fruity sweetness, less spicy than the 53. Orange jam, cherries, vanilla, Christmas cake, candied apple, oak, cinnamon.

Finish:What’s with me detecting hints of salt on the finish?? Long finish accompanied by oak, cinnamon and cloves.

Score: 89/100

 

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The batch 53 is a lot more spicy and hot compared to the 55. The 55 comes in a mellower package while packing the complexity, it doesn’t have the sharp ethanol notes of the 53, and it’s more balanced. While I enjoyed the 53, I would take the 55 over it any day.

The Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 53 was one of the first more expensive Scotch I ever bought, didn’t regret this decision one bit, it’s also my first ever sherry cask Scotch experience, as well as cask strength experience. I had no idea what was about to hit me back then, was wondering why it’s 15-20% higher ABV compared to the others, it was apparent the moment I took a small sip, the only single malt I had before this was Glenlivet 12, and it changed the whisky game for me.

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*Btw, that’s Tanuki in the picture.

The first Japanese whisky I purchased few months ago, this is a Pure Malt or Blended Malt Whisky in Scotch terms. It contains a vet of whiskies from both Yoichi and Miyagikyo, this bottling is a blend of malts aged 10 years on average in different types of oak casks. Higher percentage of Miyagikyo, with sherry cask malts blended to give it a sweeter notes. Well, all that according to Nikka’s website.
You can still grab the age-stated ones in Japan, the 12, 17, and 21 could be found not in some shops around Tokyo (my friend spotted them alongside some Yamazaki 12 and Hakushu 12), and they are also available in Hong Kong, they don’t seem to like selling it outside of Asia.

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Nikka Taketsuru NAS

Region: Japan

ABV: 43%

E150: Yes

Chill-filtered: Yes

Container: Glencairn Neat

Colour: Medium gold-amber (E150)

Nose: Right off the bet, a welcoming sweet nose, you can tell some of the sherry casks are present here. Sweet stewed fruits, blend of apples, some citrus, and berries. Oak undertones, some vanilla, and a hint of spice.

Palate: Oak, not as fruity as the nose suggests, hints of saltiness, a bit hot on the palate, orange, some caramel sweetness.

Finish: Medium finish, Gingery spice, oak, some weird notes, metallic?

Score: 74/100

The nose was somewhat promising, but the taste and finish fails to deliver, like not much going on wouldn’t buy again at this price. No wonder why they use this stuff to make highball. I actually liked it few months back when I first started my whisky adventure, as my palate develop I like some whisky less now, and this is one of them.

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Here we are, Nikka From The Barrel, a blend of Miyagikyo and Yoichi malts with a “unique grain whisky”, who knows what that is. Apparently these are really cheap in Japan like $20-30 a bottle, I kinda paid 2-3x the price for it. Hopefully the higher proof makes it nicer than the Taketsuru NAS.

Nikka From the Barrel

Region: Japan

ABV: 51%

E150: Yes

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat

Colour: Amber (E150)

Nose: Oak, Vanilla, plums, sharp alcohol, caramel, leather, spices, hints of tropical fruit, caramel.

Palate: Oaky, followed by some spicy notes, cinnamon and ginger, very nice mouth feel, caramel, oranges, vanilla, medium tannins, and some fruity notes if I could get behind all these spices.

Finish: Lingering spices, salted caramel, ginger, a hint of smoke, slight bitterness? and more oak.

Score: 85/100

Really enjoyable dram, but not one that I would go back wanting for a dram frequently, have touched it for a long time. This is much better than the Taketsuru NAS, this is like the Taketsuru with the complexity, spices, and richness dialed up to 11. Would buy again if I find it for a cheaper price.

Laphroaig 18

Region: Islay

ABV: 48%

E150: Yes

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Spiegelau Snifter

Colour: Gold(E150)

Nose: Waves of sweet mellow peat, layers of sweetness complied of lemon, oranges, vanilla, butter, candied sweetness, and hints of dried fruits. Not the typical medicinal Laphroaig nose.

Palate: First it hits you with peat in harmony with the sweetness, salt, some cured meat, citrus, sweet earthy malt, oak, and medicinal notes.

Finish: Nice lingering finish, peat smoke, cacao, some sort of spice, cirtus, more meaty notes.

Score: 88/100

 

This is really different from my past Laphroaig experiences, I have had the OB 10 43%, Quarter Cask, and the 15 (Small sample from LCBO). This doesn’t smack you in the face with strong medicinal notes like the 10 and the QC, and it has a nicer mouth feel and complexity compared to the new 15Y (sadly only 43%). I love the well balanced sweetness and peaty notes without going into different casks finish. Overall a lovely, complex dram, really sad to know it was discontinued, should’ve bought another bottle or two for the future.

Aultmore 12

Region: Speyside

ABV: 46%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat with a few drops of distilled water
Colour: Straw
Nose:Fruity sweet notes, pears, hints of bananas, fresh, green apples, pineapples, malt, floral, well rounded.
Day 2: I noticed the grassy notes people are on about, maybe placebo or maybe my nose is better today, and honey as well.

Palate: Chocolate, dried fruits, slight malt, tartness, hints of spice, slight citrus, a bit of heat on the back end.
Day 2: a bit of raw notes.

Finish: Medium-long finish, malt, slight vanilla, hints of spice and fruit,
Score: 82/100
Pretty decent summer dram, not exactly complex, this dram would’ve been more interesting if more first fill casks were used. A whisky in a good direction, 46% ABV, NCA, NCF, looking forward to more Aultmore expression.

Edit: Adjusted score after trying another dram today. Note that scores are based on my personal preference and experience.

GlenDronach 12

Region: Highland

ABV: 43%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

 

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter with a few drops of distilled water.

Colour: Light Amber

Nose:Upfront Sherry notes, raisins, slightly under ripe strawberries, slight caramel, more red fruits, hints of spices, plums.

Palate:Red fruits, thins out quickly, spicy, cinnamon, apple pie.

Finish:Short finish, Pepper, hints of cinnamon and oak, dry.

Score: 82/100

 

One of the first few sherried whisky I have purchase, near the end of the bottle, not sure has it changed, I was enjoying this a bit more few weeks ago, thin on the palate, the finish falls a bit short, still really decent for the money. Can’t wait to pop open the cask strength sample, and waiting for the 18 to come in. Not sure if I would re-buy in the future when whiskies like Bunnahabhain 12 exist for $20 more, which comes in a much more balanced and complex presentation.

Stronachie 10 Year Old

Stronachie (pronunciation: “Stron-a-key”)
Gaelic for “prominent nose/headland in the valley”

Background of Stronachie: A. D. Rattray acquired a bottle of Stronachie single malt which dated back to 1904. Using this, they tried to find a current day whisky that matched the flavour of the expression from the long closed distillery. They decided that whisky from the Benrinnes distillery in Speyside matched it very closely and have bottled some under the Stronachie name. (Source: Master of Malt)

Region: Speyside

ABV: 43%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat, rested for 20 minutes with a few drops of distilled water

Colour: Pale Gold
Nose: Honey, lots of honey, slight earthiness, hints of stone fruits, slight citrus undertone, all covered by layers of honey, hints of floral notes, hints of pineapples, also covered by honey.
Palate:Interesting mouth feel, kinda massages my tongue a little bit, more honey, makes me wonder if I am drinking honey whisky without the added sweetness. Cereal notes, spicy, honey fruits, slight chocolate feel, lingering notes of pepper, some oak and slight earthy notes on the exhale.
Finish:Long lingering finish accompanied with spice, and hints of oak, and a tiny tiny tiny faint appearance of seaweed. Dry.
Score: 82/100

I am not sure where I got the slight hint of seaweed from, but it’s in my mouth for a brief moment, in the very end of the finish, I swish my mouth a little as it’s drying. Overall an interesting dram, dominating honey notes throughout, not exactly complex, but that seaweed note in the end got me thinking.

 

Benrinnes 14 Hart Brothers

Never had anything from Hart Brothers, this would be my first! Matured in ex-Bourbon casks, aged for 14 years.

Region: Speyside

ABV: 46%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat, rested for 20 minutes with a few drops of distilled

Colour: Gold
Nose:Minty on the nose, honey, but not dominating like the Stronachie 10, some spice, pepper? Fruity pineapples and light floral notes.
Palate:Weird, the very initial expression reminds me of sesame oil, or skunk spray, but not unpleasant, I get that distinctive relation with sesame oil, odd. Tropical fruit, some citrus, and oaky. (Is it the oak that I am relating to the sesame oil??)
Finish: Long finish, more tropical fruit on the exhale, spicy, slight seaweed salt, just like the Stronachie (are they supposed to be salty), pepper.
Score: 83/100

 

 

Glenlivet Nadurra First Fill NAS 

Region: Speyside

ABV: 59.8%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Batch: FF0115

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter – Rested for 20 minutes – splash of water

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: Full blown vanilla, edges of alcohol, small hints of mints??, pears, with water: wow! Opens up more fresh fruits, tons of apples, floral.

Palate: Nice wave of fresh fruity sweetness, hints of oak, more hints of mints (is it even mint??), custard sweetness, some bananas, nice layers of sweetness.

Finish: Long warming feel in the mouth, hints of oak and nuts, with the sweetness and slight spiciness undertone lingering on. Real delicious treat!

Score: 85.5/100

This is what I have been looking for as a replacement for my first single malt the Glenlivet 12, retains that profile but a lot more punch and complexity.

Moving onto the 16, let’s see why most people love this dram!

Glenlivet Nadurra 16 

Region: Speyside

ABV: 55.3%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Batch: Unknown
Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter – Rested for 20 minutes – splash of water

Colour: Darker than the NAS, Gold.

Nose: Really different right off the bat, instead of sweet fruits, the first impression is honeydew melon, less alcohol on the nose, more tamed, cooked apples, honey, bananas, vanilla, small hints of oak, doesn’t have that minty notes I was getting on the NAS. With water: Opens up some floral undertone, more sweetness, strawberry jam and apple juice.

Palate: More apple juice, slight peppery, citrus, slight mineral/smoke, more of a cooked fruits approach vs. the NAS’s fresh cut fruits, oak, unknown herbal notes, pears and hints of smoke?(Am I drunk???)

Finish: Nice lingering finish, slight spice, malt, more apple sweetness, more oak, then slight mineral taste in the very end.

Score: 85/100

I feel like I am about to get stabbed for rating the NAS higher, I enjoyed them both equally. Instead of thinking they are the same product line, I would think them as different whisky, with different approach.

The NAS made me look back to my first single malt, the Glenlivet 12, afterwards I have been searching for something more or less the same, but with more complexity. I think I have found what I have been looking for, big bourbon cask flavor profile, fresh fruits and nice lingering sweetness.
The Glenlivet 12 has a special place in my heart even tho I no longer enjoy it as much, it reminds me of the same feeling as discovering a new continent, excitement. “WOW I can’t believe whisky tastes like this!” This has that magic, the innocence. In the same way how Richard Hammond on Top Gear compared Pagani to Ferrari/Lamborghini. Pagani (NAS First Fill) is where they still carries the innocence, the Nadurra 16 feels like the grown up Ferrari/Lamborghini (As I have driven a 458, and been in my friend’s Aventador multiple times), it’s really safe and predictable, more tamed, more grown up.

This was a mystery sample, tasted completely blind.

 

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter – Rested for 20 minutes

Colour: Goldish Amber

Nose: Smells suspiciously like a bourbon, possibly corn base. Bananas, toffee, caramel, hints of ginger, hints of orange zests, cake mix.

Palate: Not particular hot on the palate, guessing 43-46%, not oily on the tongue suggests chill-filtering, dry, slight honey, slight vanilla, spices, what happened to the flavors? It’s already gone! There is nothing that stands out particularly.

Finish: Short, the flavors trying to escape precisely 1 second after come in contact with my tongue, more dryness, slight hints of…water?

Score:75/100

My guess: Nikka Coffey Grain

Overall just really dry on the mouth, the opposite of mouthwatering. Nothing stands out in particular on the palate. Waiting for reveal.

Reveal: Wiser Last Barrel