Distillerie | Longmorn |
Embouteilleur | North Star Spirits |
Serie | Cask Series 010 |
Mise en bouteille pour | |
Date de distillation | 03.2005 |
Date de mise en bouteille | 06.2020 |
Pays | Écosse |
Région | Speyside |
Age | 15 |
Cask Type | Oloroso Sherry Butt |
Numéro de fût | |
Alcohol percentage | 63.1 |
Volume | |
État | Parfait |
Étiquette | Parfait |
Stock | 0 |
This one should be on the heavy-ish side, given the strength and the cask, let’s see…
Colour: rich amber. Nose: someone’s distilled some Mars bars, added toasted oak scrappings, some chestnut honey, butterscotch, some moist pipe tobacco and a few Chinese black mushrooms. Then bottled it at an insanely high strength. Cool idea. With water: stuff that we like, moss, fern, bitter chocolate, cigars, cedarwood, brand new wooden cabinet (not from Ikea’s though), drop of soy sauce and miso… In short, classic heavy sherry in some young or rejuvenated cask.
Mouth (neat): creamy as honey, spicy as oak spices (cinnamon, pepper) and as coffee-ish as some high-roasted ristretto. Rather works but boy is it strong. With water: some unexpected tropical fruits (passion fruits, pink grapefruits) and rather more peppery oak. A lot of bitter chocolate.
Finish: very long and very spicy. Ginger and chilli, cinnamon mints in the aftertaste…
Comments: a big and moderny young beast of truly excellent quality. Takes water very well.
Nose: Big sherry bomb. Rich and voluptuous with a lot of syrupy fruits, strawberry marmelade, sweet cherries, figs and plenty of chocolate as well. Finally a whiff of umami-ish soy.
Taste: Thick and syrupy mouthfeel, but surprisingly drinkable at such a high strength. It reminds me of that series of young Glenrothes from Adelphi, but a little more developed. Nice ground coffee notes, cocoa powder and plenty of dried red fruits. Water opens up a syrupy, brighter side with a touch of menthol and cough syrup. Recommended.
Finish: More of the above. Long and drying.
Score: 90
One for the sherry lovers, this is a fantastically balanced, in-your-face, domineering single malt.
The Longmorn 2005 15 Years from North Star Spirits reminded me of one of those heavily-sherried Glenlivet from Signatory Vintage. So that’s what I submitted as my entry in the Blind Tasting Competition. I scored points for region and alcohol percentage, but was too far off in age for a few additional points.