Longrow Red 11 Year Cabernet Sauvignon Finish

Had a pour of this over the weekend while watching Mowgli on Netflix with the kids. Should’ve had something stronger...the damn snake Kaa kept my 6 yr old waking up through the night with nightmares. I never understood Jungle Book. Read it as a kid back in the 5th grade, and in retrospect now, I’m thinking Kipling must’ve been sky high on something. Mowgli wouldn’t have lasted 10 seconds with those wolves and that gimpy spiteful tiger. And why would he have a loincloth around his private parts? Shouldn’t he be buck nekkid like his wolf brothers? Anyhow...this pour, which I bought as a TWE sample, is interesting. The wine is not integrated well at all into the whisky. Feels like having a sooty Cambeltown whisky followed by a shot of red wine. A bit testy on the tongue, with the tannins still there from the wine. Glad I bought a sample...not sure it’s to my liking for a premium on these bottles. Note to self: don’t buy Longrow Red without trying samples first. And don’t let a 6 yr old watch movies with murderous tigers, kidnapping monkeys, and psychotic hyenas.

The whole tasting notes thing has ultimately become silly to me. I cannot get other people's notes. I cannot even get my own notes from earlier. Ultimately, whisky notes are prisoners to the moment in time; once past, cannot be recreated, even from the exact same bottle. They are like a personal journal; useless things, unless you are a stalker. Going forward, if you care, I'm only going to put up reviews, without much in the way of notes, of bottles that I purchase and finish. The main goal will be to offer an opinion on whether or not you should buy the bottle, and also to remind myself on whether or not to restock the bottle. Of course, the first bottle I finished with this new approach is not on Distiller. Bottle purchased on ?/?/17, and killed on 12/10/18 Springbank OB Longrow Red Fresh Pinot Noir Casks 12 years old 52.9% ABV Bottled in 2015 Limited release of 9000 bottles Price: 90 USD. I purchased a second bottle for $110. There is a definite sharp pinot noir influence, especially on a freshly opened bottle. The wine is not completely integrated with the whisky, which is not necessarily a flaw, as it adds to the excitement. The ashy smoke adds to the complexity. Tart and sweet fruit jams battle with the dank, earthy peat of Longrow. Creamy mouthfeel. Medium and complex linger with tobacco and fruits. This is not a traditional single malt; not the smoothest, or most balanced; but it's delicious, and memorable. Rating (price not factored): 92 / 100 Purchase satisfaction (price factored): 4 / 5