Serge Valentin (85)
Colour: full gold. Nose: we are firmly in old-school Pedro territory here, with damp earth and mushrooms layered over bitter oranges and, above all, dark raisins, rather in the style of black muscat, perhaps even prunes. A slight touch of gunpowder too. With water: indeed, a few spent matches, then hay and almond milk. Mouth (neat): rich, creamy and earthy, packed with pipe tobacco and triple sec, plus plenty of freshly ground pepper. With water: the raisins return, rich and highly aromatic, almost nudging the whole towards Moscatel, although the balance remains elegant throughout. Finish: fairly long, moving more towards fruitcake, clootie dumpling and all the usual companions. The matches and gunpowder have quietly disappeared. Comments: rich and thoroughly good, a solid foundation for a modest (?!) verticale.
Whisky Notes (85)
Nose: mild prunes, raisins and toffee, along with ripe blackberries. It combines nicely with the innate sweetness of the spirit. Candy apples, stewed pear and a light hint of vanilla. Later also nutty notes, some oak and the grassy character that isn’t uncommon for Longmorn either.
Mouth: dark berries, hints of figs, more toffee and brown sugar, along with some baking spice. Then dark chocolate, with cinnamon and slightly tangy hints of clove. It’s a specific mix of syrupy notes and oak influence, rather modern in that sense. Red apples, some herbal honey and blackcurrants, as well as some liquorice.
Finish: quite long, with a dark and slightly bittersweet layer, apple sweetness and generous amounts of caramelized nuts.
Probably a PX finish, adding obvious syrupy PX markers but never taking over entirely. A modern style, decent quality. I can’t find this one in shops. Sold out or still to come, I don’t know.
Long Pour Amour (89)
First things first: Cask # 34 was a PX hogshead and was bottled on 16 December 2025. The whisky was distilled on 26 February 2009.
Upon Sipping: Immediately bursting from the glass with the PX influences up front, but very nicely integrated with the Longmorn spirit, that can be a tad too nutty at times. This feels very balanced, all on fresh red fruit, Nutella spread on a white sandwich and hints of caramel dripping from pure chocolate. A nose to die for! The entry on the palate is soft like praline, before sour cherries take over. Then a good dose of wood comes into play, even giving off a spicy, crushed black pepper vibe. Quite intense. Let’s try this with some water. It does nothing (extra) for the nose, but the palate gains a delightful sweetness that must have rubbed off from the PX cask. Nice little raspberries on the tongue, while the finish remains peppery. More chocolate on repeated sipping.
Word to the Wise: Well, this is one of the best modern Longmorn I have tried in a long time, and also one of the more interesting PX-casks in a long time. This is a must have bottle for lovers of the sherried Longmorn style, no doubt. Were it not for some lack of balance on the finish, this would go to 90 points.
