Longrow Red South African Malbec Cask Matured 13 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Here we go again with another Longrow Red! Always bottled at cask strength, every year a different type of red wine cask is used to finish the whisky. Twelve years in Bourbon casks followed by 15 months in fresh Malbec barriques from South Africa's De Toren winery in Stellenbosch has resulted in a juicy Longrow with the peat nicely integrated rather than dominating.

Tasting note: Pale amber with a polished copper hue. Quite stunning opening aromas; melted butter-menthol lozenge and a silken thread of honeycomb dovetailing into dark chocolate and vanilla-laced peat. Lanolin, liquorice bullets, white pepper…then there’s sweeter suggestions of stewed plums? Blackberry tart? A great sniff. Flawless balance, the barley oozes creamy peat, slowly fanning out with a salty, peppery attack that rounds off with sweet oak, toasted marshmallow, earthy peat and hints of smoked meats late in the aftertaste. Succulent Longrow with the smoky notes tempered by vanilla and honey from beginning to end. 51.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 9000 bottles worldwide.

Notes from the distillery: "The fruitiness continues with rhubarb crumble, stewed apples and juicy plums. Current ham follows with a very soft and delicate touch of peat with more coastal sea salt notes."