Longrow 14 Fresh Sherry Springbank Society

Thanks to /u/xile_ for sharing this dram.

The Springbank Society is an ancient order who dedicates themselves to the great old ones who happen to enjoy whisky and eventually will douse the world in madness.

That’s a lie based on a mixture of truth and a psychological horror genre that has grown in the last few years. You will not go insane by drinking this. Well, unless you drink too much of it.

Longrow 14 Fresh Sherry Springbank Society is a special bottling put out by the distillery.

We’ve had the many fun Longrow Red series. And it would seem that those bottles aren’t just a lark, but rather a lot of interesting background discussions that leak out every so often in the form of single cask bottlings.

In this case, we have an average aged offering from the peated side of the Springbank/Campbeltown group. It’s known for it’s funk, and has part of my heart. And not just due to the amount of alcohol I drink.

So this could have been part of a Longrow Red if the company wanted. It wasn’t. After having a White Wine cask one that was very interesting, that may not be a bad thing. So I wonder how this one will be?

Price: $139.99 CAD at Kensington Wine Market

Region: Campbeltown

Cask Type: Fresh Sherry Butt

Distilled: October 2001

Bottled: October 2016

One of: 600 bottles

Abv: 53.5%

Colour: 2.5Y 6/8

Nose: Gingerbread, macadamia nutes, funk, beets (by Schrute, not by Dre, don’t forget about Dre), peat, lemon peel

Interesting. It’s initially giving off that molasses and nuttiness, then that funk. And there’s this funky, peppery note to it all.

It’s odd. The sherry influence seems to have become more complex and yet the peat is still quite young and underdeveloped. Which is what we look for in peated malts.

Taste: Peat, cocoa, cranberry, strawberry salad, caramel sundae, cracker

Again, the peat starts out light, and then becomes a tad more complex this time. There’s some vegetal and fruitiness from the sherry.

Truly the signs aligned correctly on this one. I assume one of the warehouse people went insane initially tasting it. We appreciate his sacrifice. Maybe they get whisky in asylums.

Interesting caramel, cream, and a cereal note with water. It really opens up with water.

Finish: Cashew, gravel, cocoa, brine, spinach, light roast coffee, apple

Nutty, some earth/grit, and then the peat decides to stop it’s youthful ways, shave it’s head, and really start living it’s life. Yes, the peat in this whisky is like the main character in SLC Punk at the end.

And if you complain at me about ruining that movie, seriously: It’s over 10 years old people.

Love the coffee and acidity here. The whole thing reminds me of a light roast coffee, done correctly and not overcooked. Looking at you, major company that has a nautical theme however also great service and a nice bakery which I also enjoy.

Conclusion: An interesting whisky. This takes some of the less used sherry elements and combines them with earthy peat. There’s a lovely amount of complexity, a nice balance overall, and a good amount of funk.

Could there be less earth? Yeah. And there could be more rich molasses notes beyond the nose. I enjoyed it as something different, however it’s not perfect. Worth grabbing. Fun. Even better than some Longrow Red casks. Not perfect, but fun.

85/100

Scotch review #762, Campbeltown review #38, Whisky Network review #1260