Longmorn 1985 28 Years (Adelphi)

It’s my birthday today. I don’t really care about birthdays, although this one feels different. I’m sure you can guess why but I don’t feel like dwelling on the coronavirus again.

Instead, let’s just taste some whisky that is decently aged; just like I am! I bought this Longmorn 1985 28 Years from Adelphi in the summer of 2014, while traveling through Italy and visiting Whisky Antique in Formigine. I then opened it the year after when I reached the big 3-0, together with this Littlemill and a bottle of Glenfarclas 40 Years — the latter an incredible gift from my girlfriend. Not too shabby, right?

That reminds me, I should probably open something this evening to celebrate my birthday with. Excuse me for a minute while I’m off to check my Whiskybase account to see what I have on offer.

[……]

Praise be, I should be alright. I might choose another birth year whisky and go for this beast of a Benrinnes. This Dalwhinnie sure looks enticing, but I could also see myself going for something a little more pedestrian (but fantastic in its own right) like this excellent Kilkerran WIP 7. Or maybe I should just drown myself in nostalgia and open my last bottle of Old Pulteney 17. Whichever I choose, I’ll make sure to enjoy myself.

Okay, back to this Longmorn. I emptied the bottle long ago, but I saved a sample for reviewing purposes. It matured in a refill bourbon hogshead and is still available at Whisky Antique, albeit at a much higher price than I paid for it.

Longmorn 1985 28 Years (50.6%, Adelphi, C#9907)

Nose: Soft citrus influence and slightly waxy, but also grassy and most certainly some wet pebbles. There’s also creamy custard, apple juice, pineapple and and a touch of fresh mint. Finally some soft oak, but overall not the most expressive nose.
Taste: Proper creamy stuff with lots of vanilla beans and coconut, but pretty spicy too. It’s also somewhat fruity, mainly of the orchard variety. A hint of juniper. Drying too.
Finish: Very grassy at first, almost like chewing on a blade of grass, before calming down and getting pretty fruity and a bit sweet.

Score: 86

Good, but not a roaring success and it certainly doesn’t meet the expectations that go along with a Longmorn of this age. At times fairly enticing, also a little wacky and overall just not consistent enough. But I do like it, if that makes sense?

Photo: The Whisky Exchange