Longmorn, Distiller's Choice
Scotch Whisky, Speyside
Originally Posted by
Review
On the nose the only scent I can detect is that of alcohol. Pure ethyl alcohol. But for some reason it doesn't smell harsh or fiery at all. The unexpected combination makes it almost smell refreshing (again, almost; it does not actually smell refreshing!), like a mountain pool or like liquid crystal, if that makes any sense. The taste comes quick and smooth, and matches the scent surprisingly well. I don't know if anyone has ever read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (if you haven't you should; it is excellent!), but if you have and remember the angel Islington and his wine from Atlantis, that is what the whisky makes me think of. Drink from a fabled city being savored by a lesser divinity. After the first sip there is a surprising twist, in that the smell of the whisky has changed dramatically. The alcohol headiness is now gone (or perhaps gone to my head), and now I can smell rich warm flavors; a light butteriness, and something subtle that makes me think of proper home-made vanilla pudding. Continuing through the glass the scents and flavors remain rather steady after those first changes. It finishes with a soft warmth and clean freshness, something that is not too common in my experience, and is worth taking the time to enjoy!
This is an interesting whisky, to be sure, but it is also definitely squarely in its place as a Speyside. It has the characteristic lightness (in color, scent, and taste) while still performing admirably! Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of information about this one, as this bottle was a gift and the labeling doesn't say how long it was aged or in what type of barrels it was casked. The only thing I can find is "three types of cask are expertly combined to create an exquisitely smooth and creamy malt", but what those casks are or how long it was in them... anybody's guess. However, even without the little details, this is one worth getting again! It is smooth and soft and subtle, and also puts one in mind of a certain purity that is interesting to hold onto, and that I find somewhat unique in a whisky.
The last detail I have copy-pasted from the Balvenie review above, as it is equally relevant here: "Normally, I'd also like to give a price-to-quality ratio for the whisky being reviewed, but this bottle was a Christmas Birthday gift, so I have no idea. I am sure a price can be easily looked up online, but hey, I'm here to review, not provide market research If anyone else has thoughts on this whisky, feel free to share them below! If not, I hope the review is of interest and maybe use to someone!"
EDIT: Regarding the age of this whisky, it is apparently a NAS, or "no age statement" whisky, so it is intentional that no age is listed. Many thanks to Derc for informing me about this, and providing some more thoughts on the the whole age-label and how it affects our expectations for whiskies in general. For his points see his post below, and don't forget to show him some love with a rep!