Love the video - your excitement for it comes through! I've been waiting forever to try a Longrow Red. Not only are they hard to find, but they are also ~$200. Some day!
This just arrived in Alberta for $180 CAD. Too rich for my blood although I have also recently experimented with buying internationally and I picked up a Ledaig 18 for less than that after the extravagant shipping and taxes were included. Great review Jason. You will have to visit Campbeltown next year too when you are on your Islay trip....:)
I had the chance to buy a bottle of the Longrow Red a few days ago for £120. Which is probably much less than some will pay. But IMHO it's too much for a 10yo Red Wine finish so I passed. Instead I'm enjoying this whisky vicariously through your review :-)
I just came across this while traveling through Savannah Georgia. Bought a Wolfburn Langskip instead, for half the price. That's alot for new make at $80. I'm tempted to buy it over the phone if they'll hold it for me till I pass thru again. Not allowed to ship to NY where I live. Longrow Red is always on my must buy list. But money was tighter last week and I just hate to encourage them, 10 years for more than most 18 year olds. It doesn't make sense. Jason, I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the LR18. I found it similarly uniform as you described this Malbec. Seeing it in the OSWAs was a real out-of-the-box pick for whisky of the year. It's great and all, but so is a Mercedes E350 but we don't have to give it an award.
@@jackthepickledhound I haven't tried Langskip but I do have a bottle of Wolfburn Northland that I really like. Great whisky for a fair price and that's something that we should encourage. I do kind of wish the ABV was a little higher on my Northland though. Like your Langskip. I too look forward to a LR18 review because IMHO it's one of the best releases from the Springbank group.
@@WhiskyLock The Langskip is young and bright and fresh and takes alot of water to bring out the creamy sweetness. Enough water to make Ralfy proud. The finish is where the flavors really shine. It's got enough malty character to liven up a lackluster dram as a blend. But it's young on it's own and Foodquig is correct, that it really is a good palette cleanser at the end of an evening. A few more years in oak will be awesome. That brings us to a 10 year, which is twice the Langskip. How can Springbank put out such a young whisky that makes it to the top shelf? Or did we just get used to the youthful notes?
I have the 2020 13 year old and it is great. I have not found this one, maybe I can still find one? Probably not. I love Springbank 12 CS but it is really hard to find, been a few years since I have had it.
Thanks for your down-to-earth review. Great coincidence; I bought both of these today before seeing your Vlog for a total of $256 New Zealand dollars, which is pretty good compared with those ridiculous German prices. I feel for you Whisky Bro. in regards to your two questions, my favourite Longrow is this tne 18yr, but the Red is better value for money, so makes this the winner. I think the Malbec makes it ‘interesting’ because it is a bit different. My favourite Springbank is the last dram in of a bottle of the 12 yo (cask strength). I always find it too tight and assaultative (is that a word?) when first opened, but by the end of the bottle I am loving it and wanting more. Maybe it softens after getting some air for a few weeks, or maybe it trains the palate to love it; I don’t know.
I got my hands on a Longrow Malbec Red a few years ago and a fancy Springbank and Hazelburn. You could get them back then if you were quick and they were decently priced. All good stuff but a lot of whisky is good stuff. Nothing to change your outlook on life however. The craze surrounding these bottles owes far more to do with materialist concepts of ownership and egotistical one-upmanship than private enjoyment. This, after all, is a 10 year old whisky aged in a refill wine cask and, intrinsically, nothing special at all. The regular Longrow NAS is probably the least sought after whisky in the Springbank oeuvre but it is the closest thing to pure Longrow today (and I've had the 18's) with no bragging rights and a fine whisky, generally available. My favourite Springbank/Longrow is a tie - The old distillery bottling of the now discontinued bottling of Longrow 14 which was a lovely, old fashioned, whisky before the whisky boom and the old Springbank 12's which you could once buy. Good Bye Springbank. The king is dead, long live the King.
Both of these whiskies are pure unobtainium over here... There is no point talking about them because I will never get to taste them. I got one Longrow Red when I was in Scotland but that was a different bottle. It was 13 years old and finished in Pinot Noir casks as I recall...
I still wouldn't pay $150 to $200 for this 10 year old Longrow when I could get a fantastic Islay single malt for half that price. I'll take a Lagavulin 16 or Ardbeg Corryvreckan for under one hundred USD any day of the week.
I had a Longrow Malbec Red a few years ago when they were normal price but you still had to be fast out of the traps to get one. Good whisky but when all is said and done it's a £60-70 bottle. See my thoughts abought this nonsense in my comment.
@@welshtoro3256 All due respect, but why go against the nature? Sheep are meant to be milked and sheared. The only suggestion I'd make is that Springbank put out all those "limited, local barley, red" gimmicky releases at least two or better yet three times their current prices. I mean, why give all the profit to the speculators and flippers? As long as Springbank keeps the core range bottlings at reasonable price it's perfectly OK with me. As I see it, 300 euro is a good starting price for this 10 yo Longrow RED release. From this point on let all the greedy retailers and FOMO driven consumerism inflate the price as much as the idiots are willing to pay. After all why burden them with all those money? If I remember correctly, Honoré de Balzac had said something like: "The money of the fools belongs by right to the smart ones."
@@Nikolay_Nikolov I can do without the 'gimmick'. Let's not forget, however, that one of the reasons Springbank enjoy a fine reputation is their integrity. They should sell their bottles for the price they are worth. What a purchaser does with that bottle afterwards is up to them. Availability has become increasingly difficult but all the old fans came to their defence saying the expensive stuff meant the core range was always available for a reasonable price. I used to say that but these days you can't even buy the core range. Their distribution to U.K customers has become shameful.
Love the video - your excitement for it comes through! I've been waiting forever to try a Longrow Red. Not only are they hard to find, but they are also ~$200. Some day!
some day - I hope!
This just arrived in Alberta for $180 CAD. Too rich for my blood although I have also recently experimented with buying internationally and I picked up a Ledaig 18 for less than that after the extravagant shipping and taxes were included. Great review Jason. You will have to visit Campbeltown next year too when you are on your Islay trip....:)
Before going to Islay - we will spend a day and a night in Campbeltown in May 2022
I had the chance to buy a bottle of the Longrow Red a few days ago for £120. Which is probably much less than some will pay. But IMHO it's too much for a 10yo Red Wine finish so I passed. Instead I'm enjoying this whisky vicariously through your review :-)
please enjoy :-)
I just came across this while traveling through Savannah Georgia.
Bought a Wolfburn Langskip instead, for half the price. That's alot for new make at $80.
I'm tempted to buy it over the phone if they'll hold it for me till I pass thru again. Not allowed to ship to NY where I live.
Longrow Red is always on my must buy list. But money was tighter last week and I just hate to encourage them, 10 years for more than most 18 year olds. It doesn't make sense.
Jason, I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the LR18. I found it similarly uniform as you described this Malbec. Seeing it in the OSWAs was a real out-of-the-box pick for whisky of the year. It's great and all, but so is a Mercedes E350 but we don't have to give it an award.
@@jackthepickledhound I haven't tried Langskip but I do have a bottle of Wolfburn Northland that I really like. Great whisky for a fair price and that's something that we should encourage. I do kind of wish the ABV was a little higher on my Northland though. Like your Langskip.
I too look forward to a LR18 review because IMHO it's one of the best releases from the Springbank group.
@@WhiskyLock The Langskip is young and bright and fresh and takes alot of water to bring out the creamy sweetness. Enough water to make Ralfy proud. The finish is where the flavors really shine. It's got enough malty character to liven up a lackluster dram as a blend. But it's young on it's own and Foodquig is correct, that it really is a good palette cleanser at the end of an evening. A few more years in oak will be awesome.
That brings us to a 10 year, which is twice the Langskip. How can Springbank put out such a young whisky that makes it to the top shelf?
Or did we just get used to the youthful notes?
We haven't even seen the Refill Malbec around here, but the series is amazing. Not a single dud among them, just stunningly good whisky :)
I did not really like the 13 year old Chilean cabernet sauvignon bottling - video coming soon
spot on
Thanks!
I have the 2020 13 year old and it is great. I have not found this one, maybe I can still find one? Probably not. I love Springbank 12 CS but it is really hard to find, been a few years since I have had it.
It is crazy how hard it is to find Springbank sometimes
Thanks for your down-to-earth review. Great coincidence; I bought both of these today before seeing your Vlog for a total of $256 New Zealand dollars, which is pretty good compared with those ridiculous German prices. I feel for you Whisky Bro. in regards to your two questions, my favourite Longrow is this tne 18yr, but the Red is better value for money, so makes this the winner. I think the Malbec makes it ‘interesting’ because it is a bit different. My favourite Springbank is the last dram in of a bottle of the 12 yo (cask strength). I always find it too tight and assaultative (is that a word?) when first opened, but by the end of the bottle I am loving it and wanting more. Maybe it softens after getting some air for a few weeks, or maybe it trains the palate to love it; I don’t know.
$256 New Zealand dollars seems a very good price
I got my hands on a Longrow Malbec Red a few years ago and a fancy Springbank and Hazelburn. You could get them back then if you were quick and they were decently priced. All good stuff but a lot of whisky is good stuff. Nothing to change your outlook on life however. The craze surrounding these bottles owes far more to do with materialist concepts of ownership and egotistical one-upmanship than private enjoyment. This, after all, is a 10 year old whisky aged in a refill wine cask and, intrinsically, nothing special at all. The regular Longrow NAS is probably the least sought after whisky in the Springbank oeuvre but it is the closest thing to pure Longrow today (and I've had the 18's) with no bragging rights and a fine whisky, generally available. My favourite Springbank/Longrow is a tie - The old distillery bottling of the now discontinued bottling of Longrow 14 which was a lovely, old fashioned, whisky before the whisky boom and the old Springbank 12's which you could once buy. Good Bye Springbank. The king is dead, long live the King.
HEAR, HEAR...
Good Bye Springbank. The king is dead, long live the King.
Hazelburn 14 Oloroso cask was a standout for me
I have only had the Hazelburn 13 Oloroso Cask - not my favorite at the time
@@WhiskyJason1 The 14 is noticeably better than the 13. And not a hint of sulphur.
Love the first 13y Malbec waiting to taste this new one (bottle is in Scotland)
There was a Longrow Red 13y Malbec ?!?!?
@@WhiskyJason1 It is still in our top 10. Curious to compare them... th-cam.com/video/rZLOlSqs9GA/w-d-xo.html
Both of these whiskies are pure unobtainium over here... There is no point talking about them because I will never get to taste them. I got one Longrow Red when I was in Scotland but that was a different bottle. It was 13 years old and finished in Pinot Noir casks as I recall...
I think it was the longrow red 13 year old chilean cabernet sauvignon - video coming soon
I still wouldn't pay $150 to $200 for this 10 year old Longrow when I could get a fantastic Islay single malt for half that price.
I'll take a Lagavulin 16 or Ardbeg Corryvreckan for under one hundred USD any day of the week.
Corryvreckan is wonderfull. A must have in every bar of islay single malt enthusiast.
I had a Longrow Malbec Red a few years ago when they were normal price but you still had to be fast out of the traps to get one. Good whisky but when all is said and done it's a £60-70 bottle. See my thoughts abought this nonsense in my comment.
@@welshtoro3256 All due respect, but why go against the nature? Sheep are meant to be milked and sheared. The only suggestion I'd make is that Springbank put out all those "limited, local barley, red" gimmicky releases at least two or better yet three times their current prices. I mean, why give all the profit to the speculators and flippers? As long as Springbank keeps the core range bottlings at reasonable price it's perfectly OK with me. As I see it, 300 euro is a good starting price for this 10 yo Longrow RED release. From this point on let all the greedy retailers and FOMO driven consumerism inflate the price as much as the idiots are willing to pay. After all why burden them with all those money?
If I remember correctly, Honoré de Balzac had said something like: "The money of the fools belongs by right to the smart ones."
@@Nikolay_Nikolov I can do without the 'gimmick'. Let's not forget, however, that one of the reasons Springbank enjoy a fine reputation is their integrity. They should sell their bottles for the price they are worth. What a purchaser does with that bottle afterwards is up to them. Availability has become increasingly difficult but all the old fans came to their defence saying the expensive stuff meant the core range was always available for a reasonable price. I used to say that but these days you can't even buy the core range. Their distribution to U.K customers has become shameful.
very true - just too rare, exotic and expensive
These look great and many people like them a lot. However when they get to the US they are $200 + like the local barley's.
Far too expensive and not worth loosing sleep about. Paying that kind of money just fuels the idiotic speculation.
$165 + Tax here...sf.flatiron-wines.com/search?type=product&q=springbank
@@WhiskyMystery Thanks Phil. That 12CS is still priced about where they have been the last few years too.
not cheap these special bottles
Jason vs Springbank round 2 :)
and Springbank wins!