Whisky : Longmorn 15 Year SMWS 7.244 “Abracadabra”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 59.4%

Cask : Ex-bourbon (13Y), First Fill PX Butt (2Y)

Age : 15 Years (Distilled 7 Sept. 2004)

Nose : Spice, dried fruit, and wood.  Rich with sticky dried fruits, pastries, ʻohelo berries, and a peppery spice.  Herbal notes came through as blackberries and thyme, or strawberries and basil.

Palate : Thick and syrupy with rich fruits and subtle herbs.  Slightly grassy with crushed sugar cane, dried cranberries, blackberries, dragonfruit, and apricot jam.  Herbal notes of menthol, tarragon, and the mild licorice of Thai basil.  Ground walnut pastry fillings and an almond-dryness came through at the end.

Finish : Lingering brown sugar, candle smoke, and dried fruit.

Score : 7

Mental Image :  Blackberry Basil Shortcake

Notes : I could not decide if this reminded me of an exotic mojito or a pastry; ultimately I went with pastries as the pastry aspect of Longmorn did peak through every once in a while and this did not really have the crisp lime-citrus I associate with a mojito.

The sherry cask notes were largely complimentary on this herbal forward Longmorn.  The cask provided a fruity notes and a subtle sweetness that balanced nicely against the delicate nutty-herbal malt.  The combination of fruit and herbs gave this the impression of old fashioned or homemade pastries and jams— a comforting and uniquely homey quality.

Overall, while a heavy sherry finish is not usually my jam, it worked well on this, perhaps because it was a sherry butt and the volume of the cask helped spread out the sherry influence.  This was a tad too sweet for me, but there were great pastry-herbal-nutty Longmorn notes that I really enjoyed this.