Young Campbeltown

Longrow 100 proof, batch no. 1, bottled at 57,1 % abv

First things first: The last Longrow 100 proof was released in 2011 but that was predominantly bourbon matured stuff. The cask makeup for the new iteration is refill bourbon and refill pinot noir. 

Upon Sipping: The colour is light so the bourbon already delivered some diluting of the wine casks in this batch. Sticking the nose in the glass, I get this sense of a diamond in the rough. There is a wild abundance of peat, smoke and overripe redcurrant in a park or forest. Underneath these rich layers I pick up a typical Campbeltown limestone aroma. We are on the right track! The entry on the palate is soft and gentle and then it starts ramping up to maximum volume. I have to swallow quickly or I won’t tasting anything else today. The finish is a gut punch full of alcohol power, with the red (bitter) fruits doing most of the talking. The pinot noir influence is apparent, but with the strong backing of the refill bourbon casks, you get a lot of balance to keep Longrow recognisable. This was an expertly crafted batch, for sure. 

With a good dash of water, there are other delights to be picked up. The peat speaks louder but also the Springbank stills get a word in. Some industrial character stands out, which to me is quintessential Campbeltown, so very good. The taste now leans more to a sweet side, not something I am looking for when drinking a Longrow, even though it is not bad or anything. Just a bit out of character perhaps, and a strong argument in favour of using no wine casks in Longrow. 

Hazelburn 8 years old, vintage 2017, bottled at 48,2 % abv

First things first: Distilled in February 2017 and bottled in March 2025. Some 10.500 bottles were taken from oloroso sherry casks. With this abv, can we safely assume that this whisky was reduced in strength? 

Upon Sipping: A very nice, bright and fruity nose, with a big dose of Seville oranges. So, can we also expect a bitter taste like British marmalade? Yes, we can. The wood impact on the fruity Hazelburn spirit has been quite significant. There are hints of fizzy Fanta but it is mostly the wood that plays the main part. With a very small drop of water, the structure disintegrates, resulting in a wood note full of mold. The taste more or less stays the same.

Word to the Wise: Weird, I had high expectations of this Hazelburn, but I cannot seem to make it work. It has its qualities, but it is not a high flyer. 

Score: 82 points.

Springbank 8 years old, Local Barley, bottled at 58,1 % abv

First things first: Most people got to buy this Local Barley in 2025, but it was actually bottled in 2024, on 10 December to be exact. One of the younger expressions in the series, with an 8 year old made from Bere Barley harvested on the High Ranachan farm. Vintage is 2016. Matured in bourbon and sherry casks, 50-50 divided.

Upon Sipping: We have not seen such a dirty Springbank in a long time. Farmy notes, limestone, motor oil, this is all rather rich and complex. I have tasted this LB mostly surrounded by other, harder hitting expressions, like previous versions of the Local Barley. But on its own, it is the right choice to offer variation in the series, which I fully embrace. Every time I pick up the glass, I get a different characteristic. Even some hints of glue. Lots of brown aroma, muddy water pools on a bad road, tarmac, light on fruit. The taste is a tad more simple compared to the nose, but the finish is rich in bitter, dark breaded notes, and dry barley. With water, on the nose a lot more oranges, not really unlike the young Hazelburn. The taste is now infused with a lot more sweet notes, but it remains close to a bitter hint, so yeah, the Seville oranges are here too! Is that a characteristic of young Campbeltown under the age of 10?

Word to the Wise: Young stuff, and I am not exactly sure how much of the Bere barley influence I have experienced. The sherry influence created a dirty edge that maybe eclipsed the barley note. Anyway, a good experiment, that deserves a longer maturation period.

Score: 85 points.

Glen Toon 8 years old, bottled at 57,1 % abv by Decadent Drinks

First things first: Stepping over to the neighbours at Glen Scotia, lovingly called Glen Toon by the good people at Decadent Drinks. The 8 years old refers to the youngest casks in the vatting, a peated 2016 vintage, that was mixed with an unpeated 2014 vintage. Et voile, a special bottling for the 2025 Campbeltown Malts Festival. 

Upon Sipping: Ah yes, distinctively Campbeltown with a rough, oily edge, chimney smoke and vanilla’d peat. The vanilla is like the pivot point in this Glen Toon, that makes the scales rock back and forth between a very fruity and rich character and a more dark en brooding version. After some breathing, a hint of meaty aromas escape from the glass. On the palate, there is lots of cream and oil, infused with delicious raw smokiness, burned lemon zest and a much more complex vanilla than you will ever find in a straightforward bourbon matured whisky. This balancing act is going very well! With a drop of water, the vanilla side of this Glen Toon broadens, and reminds me of sampling vintages straight from the cask in the warehouse on Dalaruan Street. Pure, straight up Glen Scotia is a treasure trove for people who love fruity fresh, edgy single malt. The water made the peat content speak up even more. This would be a nice bottle to pit against some Islay hard hitters. This one is surprisingly potent in rich smoke, leaning towards medicinal. A nice honeyed waxiness appears near the end, which adds extra layer to this bottling.