Longmorn 2005 13 Year Distillery Labels (Gordon & MacPhail)

Rating: 17/23 2200 distinct drinks tasted - fantastic! I wanted to select something memorable for my 2200th review and recalled purchasing three bottles of Longmorn after being captivated by a single small pour at a bar. I figured it was time to try one of these now to determine if continuing to buy them is a wise choice. Aroma: There's a pleasant richness here with an oily and nutty character, balanced by some vanilla and subdued fruitiness. Sweet malt. Truly well-balanced and refined. There's a trace of undercooked meat with light char that I hope doesn't appear on the palate. Palate: There's a nice richness with malt, oil, fruit, baking spices, and mild wax. This shows a good balance of age and youth, but there's a touch of bitterness that I attribute to the relatively low ABV, which is a shame because I believe increasing this from 43% to 46% would resolve that. Nevertheless, this is quite full for a 43% ABV dram, which is certainly appreciated. There's a pleasing fullness, richness, and weight here, but it's not at all overwhelming. I understand why this is a key component in blends, but it possesses so much solo potential that it's frustrating how scarce it is outside of blends. Overall: This is the epitome of Scotch. It's not smoky at all, but it features malt balanced by some fresher notes, with baking spices and light vanilla complemented by fruits and oil. It's simply a superb balance. It doesn't offer smoky, peaty, or maritime profiles, but this is extremely accessible while also being indulgent, balanced, and complex. Exceptionally well-crafted. Finish: The oil and nut flavors persist, with wood emerging and more noticeable bitterness. Fruit remains, with a bit more citrus vibrancy. I would prefer more sweetness here, but it's still enjoyable. - Conclusion - This might be the ultimate Speyside. It's the most balanced, most complex, least challenging, and most mature dram. And it's a delight. It's not revolutionary, but this is a fantastic Scotch and an excellent representation of a core aspect of the spirit. So, how do I rate this? Well, this is quite good, but it does have some drawbacks. I won't go lower than a 15, but a 20 seems like the ceiling. I'm anticipating this will score a 17 or 18. As excellent as this is, a little more proof and age would significantly enhance it. Revisiting this, it's sweet, rich, and full. It's like candy, but not artificially flavored. It has genuinely sweet malt notes. No unpleasant flavors apart from a slight alcohol excess. It's simply decadent and easy to drink. Oily and nutty with some citrus. It doesn't taste particularly old, but it doesn't taste very young either. It's truly delicious. I'm thinking at least an 18. A 20 seems unlikely. I can picture a 19, but I'll settle on an 18. Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered (rated a high 18/23) tastes less full and rich, but it excels in both aspects. The Smoke Wagon certainly has more complexity, but it has a similar perceived age. I actually find the Smoke Wagon to be slightly superior. Bladnoch 17 California Red Wine Casks (rated a low 17/23) is just too unusual for me at the moment, so this one wins. Highland Park 16 Wings of the Eagle (17/23) tastes more mature than this does and offers greater complexity, but it's less indulgent and more demanding. And the Highland Park is a quite indulgent and accessible dram. It's comparable to this. The Highland Park has a pleasant waxiness, which I believe is the characteristic that gives it the edge and leads me to favor it. Therefore, I'm rating this a 17. I believe this is pretty much what I imagined Scotch tasted like before I ever tried it. Sweet, malty, rich, decadent, dessert-like. This is truly great and incredibly approachable.