Whisky : Longmorn 26 Year SMWS 7.238 “The problem of reality”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 50.9%

Cask : Refill Hogshead

Age : 26 Years (Distilled 4 May 1993)

Nose : Woody, fruity, and malty— though incredibly mild.  Roadside tropical fruit stall; cantaloup, melon, coconut, and blue vanilla shave ice syrup.  Ripe stone fruits slid into focus with apricots and pluots followed by kouign-amann and buttery pastries.  Subtle notes of mineral water, candle wax, and a burning wick hung in the background.

Palate : Crisp, clean flavors with a light body and pleasant dryness.  Citrus notes of blood oranges, limes, and lemons joined with fragrant vanilla, pineapple, and cantaloupe.  Tropical night market with notes of sweet floral hibiscus, coconut, and dry bamboo.  Toward the end came the vegetable sugars of a sautéed mirepoix and pepper. 

Finish : Long and lingering, dry and sweet with a hint of bitter minerality.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Bamboo Fruit Stall

Notes :  Another Longmorn our local group decided to taste on the off chance it recaptured any of the tropical fruits and thick syrupy body of “Everlasting Tropical Love Sauce.”  While this did have some excellent tropical fruits, it was much thinner and with a more prominent woody profile.  It ultimately compared more directly to “Big Nuts and Spices,” another sister cask we had hoped would be a tropical fruit bomb.  I gave this a slight edge, while it was even milder, its flavor profile was crisp and each note felt easily recognizable and well defined.  There was nothing muddled or off about the profile, though the vegetable sweetness at the end might not appeal to everyone.  

Overall, if “Tropical Love Sauce” was like eating a bowl of ripe juicy tropical fruits and “Big Nuts and Spices” was like eating a bowl of yogurt with some tropical fruit flavors, then this dram was something in the neighborhood of walking through a hot farmer’s market while watching other people eat juicy fruits.  I would happily accept a pour of this to enjoy, but it did not quite live up to its top billing.