The Ultimate - Longmorn - 1996/2013 #72315

The Longmorn expression in the Ultimate independent bottlings is one that has never let me down. I have had the chance to taste two bottlings before (see links below to the notes) that were also 17 years aged in a Sherry Butt, non chill filtered, not coloured and bottled at cask strength.

June 1996 - March 2014  59%     #105084
May 1996 - July 2013      57,2%  #72319

The fun thing is that I participated in a Dutch Whisky Society tasting back in August 2013 where another Longmorn expression from the Ultimate was placed in the lineup. Put the sample of that one on the side I thought back then, so there could be a look next to the bottle at home, from the bottling bottled in July 2013.

A bottle savoured a bit, now getting at its end sadly but from time to time enjoyed a dram of and also forgot about this comparison. Until last week when the sample turned up again. Time to sit down with it and see how my nose and taste buds now find it. So here is another Ultimate bottling from the Longmorn distillery, distilled on 1/5/1996 and bottled on 3/6/2013 at cask strength 57,5%. Matured its whole life in Sherry butt #72315 and producing 606 bottles. Will it again make me smile?

Liquorish, fennel, toffee, chocolate, creme brulee, raisins, dried cranberry, dried figs and dried prunes on the nose. Sweet and thick flavours of different fruits, spices, nuts, sandal wood, leather, wax and parchment. Hints of dark rye bread, foam banana sweets, blood oranges and some dried floral notes.

Palate gives me back some notes of the nose. But the 1996/2013 #72319 bottling was a bit sweeter on palate while the nose of both seems quite similar. This one has a bit more wood and mace dryness and bitters in it, the #72319 bottling lingers more towards coffee/dark chocolate bitters. The medium length finish is still sweet like the #72319 but also dominated by strong wood and dry nutmeg notes. It feels like this one is less balanced to me. My preference would be the cask #72319 instead of the #72315. Scoring me an 7,5/10. Making me smile a little but can it maybe be to strong on the cask influence? Something is off...


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