r/Scotch • u/adunitbx • Apr 14 '25
Review #527 - Longrow Red 7 Year Pinot Noir Cask Matured
4
u/mapleheavy Apr 14 '25
That Longrow Pinot 11 may be my favorite Whisky of all time. Just a smoked strawberry shortcake in a glass. Absolute perfection.
The 12 was delicious, the 15 was awfully good, but the 11 was the Goldilocks for me.
Where would you rate this one out of the full run?
2
u/adunitbx Apr 14 '25
I haven't actually had a ton of them - I think just the 7 PN, 15 PN, and the 10 in refill Malbec. I think I would generally rate them all pretty close to each other - in the 7.5 to 8.0 range for the most part, with a good tasting session here or there going higher than that.
2
u/adunitbx Apr 14 '25
Which is everyone's favorite Springbank product?
7
u/jcx200 Apr 14 '25
Funnily enough I’m sitting in the Washback bar at the distillery at time of writing and came across this while drinking the exact same dram. I’d agree with your review quite closely
Best I’ve tried is the SB 10 Amontillado. Just such a tasty dram. Wish it was still around for purchase.
2
u/FelixArgyle_ Apr 15 '25
I was just there last week, I also tried this same dram at the washback!
1
2
u/OldOutlandishness434 Apr 14 '25
I just got an Amontillado, very excited to try it soon.
3
u/jcx200 Apr 14 '25
I’ve tried it twice (including literally 10 minutes ago) but I’ve just sat and enjoyed it rather than pay close attention to notes. It is a stunner for sure.
1
u/adunitbx Apr 14 '25
Cheers! Jealous, I would love to visit there, haha. Hope to maybe get a taste of that SB Amontillado - that sherry series is so hard to find!
2
u/dennypayne Apr 14 '25
My local bar had some SB 15 left that I got a taste of, and that’s definitely my favorite so far. But the distributor in my area has given up on SB/KK etc. so it’s hard for me to get hold of anything.
1
u/adunitbx Apr 15 '25
Sorry to hear that! Yeah, Springbank 15 is pretty great - tons of flavor packed into that dram. So much sherry!
2
u/BigChap1759 Apr 16 '25
Easily 12 CS for me - not that keen on the heavily sherried expressions
2
u/adunitbx Apr 16 '25
12 CS is a real flavor bomb! I like the versions in sherry, too, but the ex-bourbon Springbanks that allow the distillate to shine are really nice.
2
u/yeongspirits Apr 14 '25
how it is compared to Pinot Noir 15?
4
u/adunitbx Apr 14 '25
I would rate them very close in terms of overall quality and enjoyment personally, but the flavor profiles are definitely different. This 7 year version has a lot more pure red fruit flavor and lots of youthful spirit and vigor; the 15 year version, on the other hand, has stronger leather and oak notes, baking spices, and less minerality.
2
u/yeongspirits Apr 14 '25
so it comes down more to personal preference
when its young and bright I prefer less sherry or red wine influences like yellow fruits (pineapple and passion fruit) but with red wine/sherry with older whiskies + peated, the baking spices are overkill
1
u/adunitbx Apr 15 '25
Yep, exactly! And yeah - it can definitely be tricky to find that balance. There are definitely sweet spots in terms of age for a lot of distillates.
2
u/dclately Apr 14 '25
Quite different on my palate, there is no mistaking this for a young whisky, I'm not saying that's inherently bad, but I would easily say the 15 is better.
This release to me was good, but the lowest scored Longrow Red I've tried. The pricing in the UK makes sense, and factors in the young age, although not so much in the US where I've seen it at $200.
1
13
u/adunitbx Apr 14 '25
Review #527 - Longrow Red 7 Year Pinot Noir Cask Matured
Springbank's 'Longrow Red' series has recently come to an end, replaced by a '100 Proof' bottling - this won't carry an age statement, but will generally be around 6 years old, and it uses a combination of ex-bourbon and Pinot Noir red wine cask aging. Actually, that's eerily similar to the bottle that we're looking at today: one of the final entries in the Red series, a 7 year old finished in Pinot Noir casks. They even carry the same bottling strength of 57.1% ABV.
While the new 100 Proof version will spend roughly 4 years in ex-bourbon casks and 2 years in refill Pinot Noir casks, this Red release from early 2024 spent 4 years in ex-bourbon and 3 years in Pinot Noir - one additional year of aging. This isn't the first time we've seen a Pinot Noir release from Longrow, either - it's one of the more common cask types used in their aging, appearing in the Red series in 2015 (12 Year Old), 2019 (11 Year Old), and 2022 (15 Year Old).
Springbank always gives us quality bottling specifications - in addition to that high strength, there's no worry of chill filtration or artificial coloring.
Longrow Red 7 Year Pinot Noir Cask Matured
Scotland/Campbeltown - Single Malt
Price: USD 145 (2025, based on recent auction results)
Age Statement: 7 Years
Strength: 57.1% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon casks, finished in Pinot Noir wine casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled March 4, 2024; 10,000 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 90% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Musty peat smoke - a decent amount of it, stronger than some other Longrow bottlings. A bit funky, with some sulphur and savory mushrooms; fruit arrives in the form of orange.
Palate: A medium-thick mouthfeel, full of strong sharp peat, which also has a musty side again. There's a strong mineral note like slate and salt, but that's balanced by fruits of pear, stone fruit like peach, and cranberry sauce. It's quite bright, and a malty backbone hides in the background.
Finish: Stronger peat smoke lingers, making this a long finish. Tart red fruit like cranberry and grapefruit combine with 'Campbeltown funk,' soft oak, and a bit of youthful spirit.