Longrow 100 Proof 2025 & Cadenhead’s Longrow 9yo Authentic Collection March 2025

Longrow 100 Proof 2025

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 57.1%

Price: £62.00

A brand-new addition to the Springbank range, Longrow 100 Proof is set to replace the Longrow Red series. This inaugural release was matured for nearly four years in refill bourbon casks, followed by over two years in refill Pinot Noir casks.  

Nose

The nose opens with notes of strawberry sauce and jam, Turkish delight, tobacco smoke, a hint of burnt wood, ash, cherries, burnt toast, marzipan, red grapes, TCP, and hessian cloth. It’s pleasant to nose, but we’re not detecting much of the Campbeltown funk typically expected from the distillery. There’s little to give away the alcohol, and we wouldn’t have guessed this was bottled at 57.1%. 

Palate

While the red wine casks take the lead on the nose, the palate is dominated by the bourbon influence. It feels a little thinner than expected given the ABV. There are notes of sugar cane, Manuka honey, caramel, lemon juice, earthy peat, and a faint hint of strawberry jam in the background. The finish leans toward the spicy side, with chilli, black pepper, and ash lingering longer than the sweeter notes. Once again, like the nose this doesn’t particularly scream Campbeltown to us. 

Nose (with water)

The diluted nose reveals some youthful notes, including corn, rice crackers, bread, barley sugars, and dried staves. Alongside these, the wine cask influence becomes more pronounced, bringing out aromas of red apples, blackcurrant, and strawberry cordial.

Palate (with water)

On the palate, water has further diminished the already light wine cask influence, bringing more citrus notes to the forefront. The peaty notes have diminished, but the balance between sweetness and spice has significantly improved. Weirdly, the mouthfeel has also noticeably improved with dilution. 

Conclusion

For us, the palate benefited from a touch of water, while the nose was better pre-dilution. It’s a shame, as if we could have had the best of both worlds, the score would have been higher. It’s a solid release but one that falls short of being great. That said, while not the banger we were hoping for, it’s one that makes us excited to get to try some of the less divisive cask types this range is likely to bring in the future.

Score: 7/10

Value

This isn’t one we’d personally pay the auction price for, which, unfortunately, is likely the only way most people will be able to get it.

Cadenhead’s Longrow 9yo Authentic Collection March 2025

Region: Campbeltown

ABV: 56.2%

Price: £65.00 

This 9-year-old Longrow was matured in an Oloroso cask and bottled for the March 2025 Authentic Collection. 

Nose

The nose initially presents savoury notes of leather and smoked kippers. Behind these, there’s a distinctly bourbon-like character with hints of mint polos, thyme, and honey. The sherry influence comes through as fudge and caramelised brown sugar, though it’s lighter than expected. The alcohol is well balanced, with this not showing its ABV on the nose. Revisiting, we also pick up hints of toffee and lemon juice. 

Palate

The palate opens with notes of smoked cheddar, chocolate, burnt newspapers, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and a touch of brine. There’s plenty of sweetness, along with ash and tobacco, on a good-length finish. There’s a hint of peppery spice from the alcohol, but it’s not overpowering. The mouthfeel is good, and better than the 100 Proof. There’s some warehouse funk here, but not the kinda we’d normally say is Campbeltown. 

Nose (with water)

When diluted, the nose becomes peatier, with notes of Arbroath smokies, bacon crisps, and more of that mint note that is reminding us of a bourbon. The smoked cheese from the palate now appears on the nose, accompanied by treacle, burnt brown sugar, and lime juice. 

Palate (with water)

Dilution has enhanced the nutty notes on the palate, bringing out more cloves and aniseed. There are also hints of burnt coffee and dark chocolate, with the bitter coffee note lingering on the still good length finish, accompanied by some smoked cheese. The mouthfeel remains good. Overall, we’re finding the addition of water brings out more sherry influence but reduces the smoky elements.

Conclusion

There’s a surprising amount of complexity here for a whisky that’s only 9 years old, with the sherry influence integrating well with the spirit to create something genuinely interesting. While preferences will vary, we personally found it more enjoyable with a touch of water, though it was still a great dram in its undiluted state. We’re a little disappointed we didn’t try to grab a bottle for ourselves. 

Score: 8/10

Value

 If we could have got one of these for £65 we would have bought it in a heartbeat.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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