The Longrow Red 13 Malbec is the fifth entry The Longrow Red series and is the third Campbeltown whisky review I post in the last 10 days, I’d say they were busy there in the last few months, ah?

This year edition was delayed and so we earned another year on the age statement going up from 12 to 13  this year (Noticed the creeping up trend? We’ve started with 11 years old statement for the first three releases). It  was aged for 12 years in bourbon barrels and then finished for another 15 months in Malbec casks. I loved the last edition (the Pinot Noir cask) very much so was looking forward trying this very eagerly.

Longrow Red 13 Year Old Malbec Cask Matured (51.3%, £62.50/€89,90)

Nose: Soft peat smoke, lots of red fruit, sour berries and unripe plums, winey, Honey, chimney smoke on the beach, Velvety but has a dry side due to the wine tannins. After a while it’s even more fruity with strawberries and with back-end smoked meat.

Palate: Intense, more peaty and smoky than the nose yet still works in harmoney with with the fruitiness. Strawberries and raspberries, tannins and oak wood spices.

Finish: Long finish, lingering red berries, tannins, gentle oak spices and honey.

Thoughts: It’s another good and successful entry in the Longrow Red series. Peat is big time subdued by the wine cask giving us a fruity whisky with soft yet strong backend of smoke and tannins dryness. Bottom line: you should get a bottle.