Longmorn 15 Year Old

Is this the best whisky you've ever tasted? I don't think I've ever seen a score of 96 before! I have a 20 year old Longmorn in my cabinet and after reading this review I'm definitely looking forward to it.

I've got two unopened bottles of the 15. Thanks for reminding me how good they will be!

broadwayblue, thank you for the comment. In short, yes, sir, this one, along with some of the Kavalans, are the best single malts, according to my taste buds/nostrils/experience. In order to put it into perspective, I have tried quite a lot of malts, although not over 1000, as some fellow connosrs have (you, lucky ones!). For further understanding of my position, you should know that I adore brandy/cognacs, as well as the good sip of bourbon/rye. This might give you an insight, as per to why I rate this Longmorn 15 so high and why I'm that exalted about it. Because it: a/ is the best whisky I have tried; b/ is so good to my own taste, that has been formed by another drinks I have liked very much through all these 37 years.

I personally do not rate the Islays/heavily peated ones as much as I rate the Speysiders/Highlanders. But tastes change. I will maybe like peats much more in 10 years. But even if I do, I will still rate THIS Longmorn 15 THAT high. Because divinity is universal. And this is why I have given such a high mark. I have not tried the 20 Year Old expression, but I will do so, no question about that, and I hope it comes at least close or, why not - even better than Longmorn 15.

I hope you didn't get mightily bored. :)

Rigmorole: good for you, mate! Keep'em close to the heart or share some of them with friends when that special moment arrives.

I did a review on the 15 some while ago and I of the same opinion. Review was called "Gone but not forgotten". It is a fabulous dram and still rates at the top of my favs list, only just equalled by the latest Glenlivet Guardians Chapter 2014, which another one of those flawless drams one comes across every few years. I've just put a review of that one up last week.

Very good and thoughtful review Magnus, well done and gratz on discovering a hidden gem.

I actually had a bottle of the 16 several years ago and found it to be a very good whisky, but overpriced at about $90. Later I ran across 3 bottles of the 15 for about $38 each. They have certainly been worth the price I paid (I have one left), but I don't think it is noticeably better than the 16, just different. In fact, I probably wouldn't think they were the same spirit one year apart on a blind taste test. Did they change the type of casks?

Yes, I tasted this one at the Stillhouse pub and loved it. When I found out it was already rare, snatched up two bottles. I've been sitting on them like a mother hen.

Taco's $38 deal is insane. What a find. I have tasted the 16. To me, there is a night and day difference between the earlier 15 and the 16.

phoenix, thank you for your kind comment. Of course I have read your review on 15, before I posted mine. There are not too many for this one whatsoever, so it was my pleasure.

Taco, you pose a very intriguing topic: the batch variations. I guess these are one of the main reasons behind the polarized opinions on the same brand amd age of whisky. There are plenty of examples even on this wonderful site. Look up Jura Superstition or, even better, the Dalmores - they polarize a lot. And, apart of the differences in taste, I guess that batch variations sit behind this phenomenon.

rigmorole, your second comment says it very straight: the 15 wins by a mile.

Batch variation in the 16 may well be the reason many do not like the 16. The bottle I had was 2009, which was also highly rated by Serge (88). The head of the local whisky club also found it quite good. However, earlier and later years have been rated very mediocre (79 & 80) by Serge. If you can find that 2009 bottle, it might be one to purchase. I'd still like to know what they did to make it so different from the 15 (and apparently year to year?). Got to be the casks.

Well, perhaps this explains it further: as far as I recall, I have bought and drank my 16 Year Old expression back then in 2007 or 2008 and it disappointed bitterly. So maybe it is time for me to give it another shot in the future, given the fact that maybe there are less likely "earlier" bottles of the 16 Year Old to be left at the retailers?

Wow! This review makes me want to go and get one. Found some over at TWE for the laughable price of 99GBP - if you think it's worth it I'll pick it up.

@MaltActivist, I guess the price will only go up, as the stocks run out, so I'd say that for 99GBP today this dram is still cheaper than it will be tommorrow. I cannot tell if I would give a 99 GBP though, because we do not live in the same country/may have a different lifestyle each.

Now, if it was free and you had to chose between this bottle and a bottle of any other whisky, I would advise you to move for The Longmorn 15 YO. But since there is some hard-earned money involved... I would suggest the following calculation. My bottles of Longmorn 15 YO have costed me 32 EUR each and I have had to work hard for around 2.5 hours to earn these "monies". In pincipal I would be happy if I had to work up to 6 hours to be able to afford a bottle of Longmorn 15 YO or any other of my top-favorite drams. This is my top dollar for whisky (but here in Bulgaria alcohol is relatively cheaper, mind!). I value mi time very much so actually I wouldn't buy any dram costing more than the amount of my 6 hour-compensation. For the Longmorn 15 YO I would pay a sum, equaling to 6 hours, yes, if I had to. Your "hours-for-dram" output may be a lot different, so take yours! :)

Now, since you haven't tried the Longmorn 15 YO and may have a different taste, you may want to lower your top dollar, derived using the above equation (if it makes sense to you!), down by some 20% just to cover for the risks, stated above. If thus put the whole operation makes sense to you - do not hesitate. I do not think you'll be sorry for that. And if you decide buy it and try it, I'm begging you to drop me a line or tag me, when you issue the review (I have read many of yours here), so I could read your thoughts on this favorite little unfashionable dram, that is no longer, alas, produced. I hope you are not disappointed! Cheers!

@Magnus finally managed to get one and taste it! Lovely dram. Well worth the hype I suppose, though, I suspect you like it a bit more than I do.

I'll be posting my review soon! Thanks for the introduction to this lovely whisky!