Longrow CV

200 ml bottle, from god knows when and stolen with out citation for my own pleasure. Called "CV" for currívulum Vitae which is Latin for "The Course of Life". This has been matured in ex Rum, Ex Bourbon, Ex Sherry and ex Port cask from different ages that goes from 7 to 14 years. I'd also add...really a 200 ml with a cork? Use a damn screw top. I don't have backup 200 ml corks! Nose - I gotta say...not good? I get young young whisky. Sour fruits and every so slightly notes of sour milk. Now I'm getting some buttered bread (sour dough of course). Now as it opens I'm getting some wine and fruit sweetness, the good stuff. Deeper nosing where I expect peat I'm just getting ethanol and dusty oak. The more it opens the more I start to get some of that port and I don't want to call it rum but it might be (no rum expert) but it's an odd spirit note that I don't have a good placement for but it's making me think more rum like. Taste - Buttery, savory, with unique oak and funk. Then a transition to the saltiest and most peaty longrow finish I've had. That said it's also the shortest and thinnest. More youthful off the still sweetness but somewhat tamed and not giving me the off putting new make bitterness or overly shall I call it milky notes. The good - a lot of complex notes in here, there's a clear mix of casks fighting for their moment. Similarly I am getting older and younger notes...I know I know...I read all that but that's the best way to describe how disjointed and yet somewhat pleasantly so this is. I love how salty this is and how much peat is here. It's a badass longrow in some ways. The bad - it isn't that good. I get young whisky notes here that I don't love. I get a shorter than desired finish and I don't get enough here. I will say it's flavorful. I'm at a 1.75. 10 vs CV vs NAS notes to come. I paid 75 euro for a 3 pack with this, the hazelburn and springbank CV's. I'll also review those 3 here eventually. I hope to do it all tonight but....that's a lot to drink even if I'm doing half an oz per trial. OK the fun part which is the best CV? nose on all of them starts out pretty similar. I'm finding which ever has been in the glass the longest smells the best as they get sweeter and less of this off note from younger whiskies is there. Taste - The longrow does the most to showcase a mix of cask finishing and maybe comes off like it has the most youthful whisky in it. The hazelburn has an almost glue like element up front but the finish really does it some awesome justice. Hazelburn is a weird malt profile that I tend to like more than some others. The springbank is just good springbank and what I think we've all come to love about the brand. It's nothing special by their standards or anything like that, but it's well it's springbank. Not really a shocker but Springbank - Hazelburn - Longrow. OK 10 vs NAS vs CV (Btw should I do these as separate review?) Nose - the 10 clean, sweet, oaky, and while not deep or dark it's complex and has nice sherry notes and dark fruits. It's good. The CV's nose comes off more sugary (cane sugar) but way less oaky and way less depth. It's like you're smelling around the rim of the glass but never into the heart of it vs the 10. A weird thing to say but completely what I'm getting. The NAS is salty and peaty dry cheap wood...no depth, no complexity. Taste - I mean see my 10 notes but a balanced whisky that while not older has depth and age to it. it's well put together and really does that sherry and bourbon blending nicely. The CV has a bit more bite both in a good salty peaty way but also comes off younger. The NAS comes off like whisky soaked in cardboard next to these and the finishes with new make notes. It does have the longest finish of the group, but I'm not sure I want the finish to last. I don't hate the NAS, it's raw young unrefined peat that doesn't have anything else to integrate it's flavors into. Instead it's just raw peat that needs to play on other elements as older peated whiskies get a chance to do. People always say peat goes away with age, but i disagree. I think peat gets a chance to grow and become a part of a great whisky with age. Here you get peat and nothing but peat...and weird oak. It's hard being a springbank product. You're siblinsg are all so good but today, in the least shocking decision ever. Longrow 10 > Longrow CV >>> Longrow Peated NAS. The more I drink the CV vs 10 the more i get port vs sherry which I love the contrast. And the CV has the longer finish, but it has a more short and thin mouth feel. The NAS peat is just a whole other animal, the other two are much much MUCH closer in profile. the NAS is truly a springbank without a comp. It is closer to the horrible god awful kill me now Killeran heavily peated trash than these others, but unlike those...this is still a quality whisky that was worthy of being bottled. I just don't really enjoy it anymore. The killkerran however...I just have batch 2 and never again! Oh getting some mint on the CV now...reminding me more and more of an islay malt now. That's a good thing! Anyway please let me know if you have any opinions on ANY of this.

My second Longrow is the almighty, well known and discontinued Longrow CV, the predecessor to today's Longrow Peated (which was absolutely amazing). This one is called "CV" for currívulum Vitae which is Latin for "The Course of Life". This baby has been matured in ex Rum, Ex Bourbon, Ex Sherry and ex Port cask from different ages that goes from 7 to 14 years. Bottled at 46%abv, ambar color. On the nose it is just amazing. Right from the start you get a new pair of socks, citric aromas, wet grass, sown land, bacon, Scotch Tape, orange peel, detergent and a horse stable. You did not read any of those notes wrong. After a first sip, the aroma turned into a farm pond, foam from the sea, and a beautiful lemon pie. Pretty interesting notes. On the palate, it was super enjoyable and fairly fruity. Starts with vanilla and grapefruit; prunes, pepper and a little sulphur. More sips revealed lemon pie, lemon grass and meringue. Aftertaste made me close my eyes in happiness. Maritime feeling, salty, herbal; very pleasant smoke, star anise, sandalwood, palo santo and more salt. Overall this was a fantastic, put of the world dram, it missed just a few points here and there, but it is incredibly interesting and full of flavor. My score for it is a very well deserved 97 over 100. Slàinte!

This is a very nice whisky - balanced and engaging.   Longrow is billed as "heavily peated", but it's not a peat blast reminiscent of Islay.  While the peat certainly isn't subtle, it's a very nice smoke that's pervasive throughout the nose and palate without ever overpowering the other elements of the dram.    The three types of casks used - bourbon, rum and sherry - create a finishing element that presents in a unified way.  In fact, it seems as if only one type of cask had been used.  The combined taste reminded me of a cognac finish - fruity, a bit sweet, some wood and a touch of spice.   If it hadn't been discontinued some years ago, I'd buy a bottle.  But I'm very glad I got the chance to sample it; thank you @richardmoderndrinking for the pour!  Maybe we'll see something similar from Longrow in the future. 

I've always been a fan of Campbeltown; just something about it's charcoal-y smoke combined with floral and citrusy aromas. Thanks to Richard@ModernDrinking, I got to sample this. I'm that much more appreciative considering how rare this one is; it's discontinued now. The aromas and flavors are like Springbank 10, except a bit more nuanced on the smoke and intensity. Maybe because of the usage of various casks? If you're a fan of Springbank, but want someting a bit gentler with more fruits and nuts on the palette, this would be right up your alley. Well balance, austere, and complex enough to make you want to come back for more. After having this, I immediately took a look at our Total Wine site for Union, NJ...all sold out. If you find it, worthwhile sipper. Thanks Richard!

Figuring it was time to expand my tastes from the islands, I decided to dive into an exploration of Springbank with this bottle that I discovered neglected at a Total Wine. The nose was very promising: big peat but with delicate undertones of heather. It started out nicely in the mouth too with a good balance of peat and sweetness, but faded out too quickly to discern more specific flavors. Unfortunately there was a slightly metallic aftertaste, a discordant note given the balance of flavors leading up to it. A disappointing experience that didn't live up to the ratings here or my excitement in finding a dusty bottle of this discontinued edition, but I plan to try other bottles from the distillery. What should I try next, Springbank fans?

As a heavily peated single malt you expect it to be full of peat & Smokey flavours reminiscent of Applewood smoked Cheddar heading almost into smoked Haddock (that mineral, tin ? like element), but what hits first is how sweet it is, yet not cloyingly so. Because before the sweetness hits overkill, I would say the peat comes in to balance it, what I mean, is this stunning spicy peaty gorgeousness clubs your senses reducing the sweetness to almost the backing choir. The finish has that vanilla fudge but it's sharing bed space with the peat which has a dry ginger pepperiness to it, which is a bit like when you were a kid & you put a 9 volt battery on your tongue - that sense of metallic, but in a good way.