Longrow Red 15 Year Old:

Today we bring you the Longrow Red 15 year old. This bottle was aged 11 year in a bourbon barrel and then 4 additional years in Fresh New Zeeland Pinot Noir Barriques. Coming in at 51.4% and one of 9400 bottles this is an exceptional expression of the Longrow Malt.
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[@themaltedmancave9499]

What really impresses me with this one is everything that we like about Longrow and Springbank and the delicious red fruits....but the creaminess is what sets this one apart for me.......absolutely delicious. Thanks boys!

[@topshelfwhisky]

Thanks to our friend DJ Becon for getting us this bottle (and a backup) cheers buddy!

[@themaltedmancave9499]

Ok Mike....getting into the distillation details :) You whisky geek you :)

[@christinecamley]

I love this expression! I wish liquor outlets would put a limit on how many can be purchased when it’s a very popular whisky.

[@topshelfwhisky]

The 15 was my favorite Red. Just edging out the 2011

[@WhiskeyForge]

One of the best scotches i've had in awhile. Near flawless.

[@djbeacon6895]

Great to hear you enjoying this so much. Yeah I know it's 7:30 am but it's Sunday so I'm enjoying a pour along with you. As you say, balanced and integrated. My first Longrow and Longrow Red. I'm loving the nose, palate and finish. The 51+% ABV is soo right. Even I'm getting the red fruits that don't dominate but highlight and seem to amplify the other notes along with smoke and spice.

[@topshelfwhisky]

Thanks again, brother! Sorry, I messed up the intro

[@peterlee2279]

Whisky friendships are the best. The feeling you get when a surprise bottles arrives for you. Your review shows how much you’re loving this Longrow Red and the friendship.

[@topshelfwhisky]

Great whisky and better community.

[@christopherdavid446]

Great Review!

[@henrieliot]

Hello from New Zealand. Valli is a great winery here producing amazing Pinot Noir.

[@themaltedmancave9499]

Thanks for being unselfish MIke :)

[@nicholasmartin1881]

Guys the new Yamazaki 12 is out

[@TheReal_DeanD]

Well I’m going to head to my local store and try to get in the waitlist for the Longrow 15 year. Enjoyed this review.

[@topshelfwhisky]

🤣🤣 nice man! Just one more bottle to chase. Sorry? 😉

[@zedman8720]

Another fine review. My local bar will be having it available for pours next week. Looking forward to it. Cheers guys

[@topshelfwhisky]

Let us know what you think! Cheers

[@zedman8720]

@@topshelfwhisky yep will do. I did have it my ballot list but missed out. Hoping to get the Hazelburn 15 as it was 2nd my ballot list. Just waiting for confirmation.

[@tylerlittle7818]

Well boys, because of your glowing review I pulled the trigger on this bottle today. It was 175 which was disappointing because I saw it for 145 in Minnesota earlier this year and didn’t grab a bottle. I have went through a bottle of the 2021 longrow red 10 year Malbec? And a single cask 9 year 1st fill Sauternes cask and neither “wow’d” me so excited to see if I feel differently about this one.

[@DonnerPassWhisky]

Wow thats quite a price! Sorry to hear you missed getting those. The local shop that has Hazelburn 10 on the shelf wants $110 and Springbank 10 for $100 which is of course why they are still on the shelf. Cheers guy's

[@topshelfwhisky]

The ever increasing price of Springbank

[@topshelfdustin3060]

120 for the springbank 10 here...or I'd have bought more

[@peterlee2279]

Tim, that is quite a price for the standard sb10 and hb10.

[@keithpetersen560]

I will keep an eye out for this one. I've only had the Longrow 18 years ago and didn't appreciate what I had at the time. Great review.

[@topshelfwhisky]

Right on

[@WhiskyMystery]

Another great one

[@topshelfwhisky]

Maybe the best Red we have tried. Had a buy a few backups

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Did you two review/blind/taste this one?

[@WhiskyMystery]

@@topshelfdustin3060 No. We did buy it and talk about it briefly somewhere.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

@@WhiskyMystery would be fun to see a red run if you will :)

[@WhiskyMystery]

@@topshelfdustin3060 hmm good idea

[@pillcozby431]

I went to a festival here in Germany and was able to grab a bottle for 140.... let me tell you. It's beyond fantastic. I'm trying not to drink it all.

[@topshelfwhisky]

That’s always the challenge

[@WhiskyBrasil]

I love Longrow Red

[@topshelfwhisky]

We enjoy them too! This one stands out from recent offerings but we normally rate these highly. Cheers

[@trubaka]

Around me it’s 200. Sound wonderful so might pick on up

[@topshelfwhisky]

I would pay that.

[@JazznRealHipHop]

How many Longrow Red 15 at 100 bucks do you buy? The answer of course is alllll the Longrow’s 😆

[@topshelfwhisky]

Easy choice

[@wachinstuf]

I have the opposite problem - my local store finally lost its mind and wants $365 for one of these. No thanks. I go in there every once in a while to see them collect more and more dust

[@wachinstuf]

@@maestergryphon2200 it’s pure speculation as to what someone buying the bottles will do. Also, if anyone deserves the extra money it’s the distillery, not the retailer which is trying to make 3-5X the profit of the distillery while doing essentially nothing. This is just greed at the end of the day. Also, believe this channel gave the same score to Bunna 12 CS, which is under $100 versus my local price of Longrow 15 which is nearly $400 after tax. I think you can see my dilemma haha. It’s not a matter of affording it, it’s just that there are better whiskies at that price where you’re not giving most of your money to the retailer

[@wachinstuf]

@@maestergryphon2200 Same here man. I’m planning to make a bit of a drive and grab a few as I don’t see the Bunna 12 CS in my immediate area. I love Springbank and all of its variations but I do think prices will eventually cool off again in the US. In the meantime, there’s plenty of other good stuff available

[@topshelfwhisky]

Wow, NY or California.

[@wachinstuf]

@@topshelfwhisky NY haha; although not NYC, this is Upstate so it’s extra over the top pricing for the area

[@alfocrown]

My area also same situation, but i was lucky that found one shop put it on shelf fresh with normal price($160) in morning, so i order it without thinking

[@garyk3675]

Thanks for this review - you were both so enthusiastic that it motivated me to find one of the last ones around where I live ! I generally love all things Springbank - except their current prices - so without your review, I would have let this pass! It should arrive next week!

[@topshelfwhisky]

I hope you enjoy it! I would hate to lead anybody astray. Cheers

[@garyk3675]

@@topshelfwhisky No worries, i am sure i will - and, looking back, i have agreed with many of your reviews - though I did like the 202O Local Barley better than you guys did!

[@Houman7]

I had opportunity to buy a case of this bottle for 200$ but since I’m not a big fan of red wine matured whisky I let it go and now it’s gone, Probably made a big mistake but hopefully I’ll get Springbank 10 PX soon. As some people mentioned prices are also insane recently, for example I could buy a new 21 few days ago but at 700$ retail plus 10% tax, I’m like I’ll try my luck at auction

[@topshelfwhisky]

Is that the third version of the 21 year? We have the other two definitely not worth that figure.

[@topshelfwhisky]

That Springbank 10 PX looks gooood.

[@topshelfdustin3060]

I'm scared what that 10 will sell for

[@Houman7]

@@topshelfwhisky it’s the latest 2022 release. I didn’t get it because I’m sure there are better options for that price. Just paid 420$ for Black Art 10.1 including shipping and it’s a stunning expression for half of the price.

[@Houman7]

@@topshelfdustin3060 My shop said it should be around 200$ but we know that’s retail. Prices on auctions aren’t that bad though on that.

[@MarkHanson-du3qs]

great review. I agree with your opinion of what age peated whisky hits its peak. There is a reason lagavulin bottled its flagship at 16. Everything is dense, rounded, but still has intensity. Cheers

[@topshelfwhisky]

It’s a nice middle ground regarding age. Especially with peated whiskies. If you enjoy the Red’s this one is worth your time.

[@questionable9668]

This has been one of my favorite longrow reds, probably better than my previous favorite, Chilean cab sav 13. Do you prefer this over the Hazelburn 15? Cheers guys

[@topshelfwhisky]

Wow, close. Felton what you’re looking for… I know that’s a cop out, so I’ll pick one. Hazelburn

[@100puremustard5]

Based on my pallet and reviews I'm glad I got the Hazelburn 15 instead.

[@jackthepickledhound]

Just a lonely bottle sitting on the shelf for $150. SCORE! I don't know what possessed me to take the drive that day but worth 3 gallons of gas. Even at $160 it's about the average price for a 15 year. Longrow is my preferred Springbank. I've been lucky enough to come across the last 3 Reds and the 18 at a decent price. I just found HZ15 online for $359. Sorry.

[@topshelfwhisky]

One out of two isn’t bad 🤘🏻

[@Du57yx91630n5]

Damn I missed the boat on this one completely. Apparently one store got everything from the distributor and it was all gone 3 weeks ago. I'll have to look in neighboring areas and hope for a Christmas miracle. From what I've heard so far no Hazelburn made it's way here this year, although I wouldn't be surprised if a delivery of good stuff shows up a month or two from now.

[@topshelfwhisky]

Are used to wish people happy hunting, but these days there’s nothing happy about it. It’s a bloodbath out there. Stay safe?

[@Du57yx91630n5]

@@topshelfwhisky You said it man. Stopped by a big box store that isnt TotalWine just to have a look around and their locked case had Springbank 10 and 15 and probably 2 cases of Kilkerran 8 Port and the Sherry 8 as well as Peat in Progress Batch 6 or 7 and the regular 12. all under $100 for KK, but I dont remember hearing any more buzz than normal about either the Port or Sherry. so I clicked around here and saw your review for the Port. I remember watching it, but dont remember it being that bad. I do like me a nice "character malt" but that review gave the Port and Sherry a bit of a red flag for me. Would you say the malts general maturation was not given proper treatment or was it the quick dip in cheap Port your biggest problem? Comments of "egg fart sulphur" from previous Sherry releases have turned me off that one already so I may be looking at the 2022 Loch Gorm or Tamdhu Cask Strength Batch 5 instead. I've also had a Cheiftain's 20 year old Teaninich at 57% on hold for about a month as its supposed to be marked down after the holidays(since they only have 2 taking up shelf space). Anything to help stretch the budget along. Might just wait for the Bunnahabhain 12 Cask Strength Batch 2 to show up, but that could take another 6 months IF I'm lucky.

[@gman5986]

Unattainable for most of us with a budget!

[@topshelfwhisky]

Try Bunna 12 cask strength batch 2

[@SM-ec5vc]

Sounds great. Have you had the Malbec 10 year from 2020/21? That's my personal fav so far...the wine note isn't overpowering since they used refill Malbec casks. Ohio here too, I can hook you up with a sample of the Malbec 10 Red (and 2019 Longrow 18, for that matter), if you'd like to review.

[@topshelfwhisky]

I have not, sadly. We will look out for it. Thanks!

[@nicholasmartin1881]

Here in South Africa got a bottle 3 days ago for 3000 rand or about 167usd. Wanna keep it but I know how good the 11 malbec was.

[@topshelfwhisky]

cheers!

[@nicholasmartin1881]

Opened mine a few days ago and having some now. Phenomenal.

[@YoJimBo851610]

25👍

[@topshelfwhisky]

625

[@alfocrown]

LR red rarely hit me, Red 15 is infinity close to peat&sherry territory, even the finish isnt too impressive, but thats enough for me to pull the trigger after a dram of sample

[@topshelfwhisky]

Enjoy!

[@MasterMote]

I got a bottle of this and...im feeling kinda disappointed. Its got a weirdly off sweet flavor. I don't know what it is...sweet but slightly sour? Idk. Something unappealing. Maybe my tastes are off tonight cuz im drinking it now and not loving it and i usually love longrow red. So idk about this but maybe it'll grow on me...Hopefully (this might be the first bottle dustin recommends that i don't love...or in this case even like 😢 o well. We shall see maybe i gotta drink some black coffee or something. Way sickly sweet in a weird way)

[@topshelfdustin3060]

That's unfortunate. Hopefully it's just a bad night for this bottle and you, and it'll come out a bit more balanced next go round. It is on the sweeter side for a longrow for sure, but sickenly sweet seems strong.

[@alexx0108max98]

What is retail. 350 everywhere out here

[@topshelfdustin3060]

Generally 150-175 is kinda market/retail in the US.