Whisky: Longmorn 17 Year SMWS 7.269 “Luscious, silky and sensuous”

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 55.5%

Cask: Second Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age: 17 Years (Distilled 11 Feb. 2004)

Nose: Fruity, herbal, and earthy. Bubble gum, Parma Violets, and the sticky-syrupy juice found at the bottom of a peach cup. The delightful bounty of fruity childhood flavors shifted with time as almond extract, dried apricots, and vanilla ice cream gave way to an herbal undercurrent with rising notes of menthol and an earthy petrichor.

Palate: Medium-bodied and oily with spice, fruit, and tobacco. Tingling sweet spice and bright fruit brought mango chutney with cayenne pepper or berry jam with dried ancho chilis to mind. Buttery at times, a creaminess carried forward under the fruity notes, while white pepper and herbal tobacco appeared on the finish with a touch of honey. A few drops of water brought out more tropical fruits with coconut-drenched mango sticky rice and pushed the spice into the background.

Finish: Lingering notes of dried fruit and chalk.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Fruit Cup Treasure

Notes: A delightfully tropical Longmorn, this was loaded with tropical fruit and spice with intriguing herbal and earthy undertones. If my notes sound good and the score seems excellent, then it might be surprising to admit right off the bat that I was a tad disappointed. I wish this had been a bit jammier, thicker, and more unctuous on the finish. Setting aside the weight of my expectations, this was undoubtedly a tasty malt.

Longmorn often seems to veer into delicious syrupy tropical fruits or dry herbal-nutty notes. I thought this dram split the difference quite nicely as there was an herbal undercurrent to the fruit and the spice. The bottle proved incredibly popular at a recent local tasting, and several tasters picked it as their favorite of the evening. For many, it was their first time trying Longmorn, and I loved watching them discover a distillery I enjoy.