Longrow Peated NAS
http://www.smwhisky.com.au/Longrow
This NAS version is the successor of the Longrow CV, a Campbeltown'er from Springbank. Not much to tell, nice and simple packaging, very pale colour.
The Whisky
http://www.whiskyhaus.de/longrow-peated-campbeltown-single-malt-scotch-whisky
Nose: the name Longrow Peated could suggest that we were dealing with heavily peated, Islay-style malt. Instead, to my surprise we only get a slight whiff of smoke, as if you were poking around in the cold ashes left in the chimney. It's salty, with a wee bit of leather scents, vanilla and lemon tones. It reminds me of a misty day in Oban when the peat smoke from the houses got mixed in with the cold and wet salty sea-breeze.
Taste: yet another surprise, as soft and light as the nose was, an actual sip will, after a few fruity notes, reveal that this is in fact a smoky burner: gooseberries and rhubarb are suddenly swept away as a powerful wave of smoke and black pepper comes rolling in and slams into the rocks.
Finish: the waves retract slowly and leave a trail of saltiness and dry smoke.
The Verdict
Not at all what I expected, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised. It is a fairly simple but powerful malt and given that this is only the entry level of the Longrow range, I'm excited to try out some other expressions. The Springbank distillery has not disappointed me thus far!
