Professional reviews
Serge Valentin (90)
Everything’s wonderful here, and God knows that G&M have already had many stunning Longmorns. It’s even to be wondered if Longmorn’s not always been a G&M thing. Colour: mahogany. Nose: bam, old teas, cigars, tar, and pre-Franco oloroso. Then mushrooms, walnuts, raw chocolate, soy sauce, lovage, some kind of very savoury meat sauce, and freshly sawn pine and eucalyptus woods. State of the art sherry maturing, there isn’t anything nicer out there. With water: sure, some tannicity, black teas, sawn wood, cocoa, tobacco, more meat sauce, Marmite (didn’t BoJo ban that?) and bags and bags of dried morels and porcinis. All is lovely, but I’ll say it again, with these very old whiskies, it’s on the palate that things may get awry, let’s see… Mouth (neat): phew! It’s dry and drying, it’s full of terpenic, resinous flavours, it’s got quite a lot of tar, perhaps a few pencil shavings, and certainly a good load of cinnamon. But this works, unless you were expecting bags of fresh fruits. With water: and it would even stand water, getting just a tad more tea-ish and chocolaty. A few dried currants, or just one. Finish: long, more mentholy, sappy, and greenly bitter. Fernet Branca and bitter bitters. That’s fine, I like that. Comments: it’s like when you go see some very old actors or musicians on stage, and they do not disappoint. Like Marshall Allen with the Sun Ra Arkestra, 95 this year! Love him!
BOW (94)
Every so often, a whisky comes along that doesn’t merely sit in a glass but transcends it, carrying with it an aura of history, craftsmanship, and wonder. The Longmorn 55 Years Old is precisely that—a masterpiece of maturation and proof that time, when paired with artistry, can create liquid perfection.
Distilled on February 1, 1966, and laid to rest in the embrace of a First Fill Sherry Butt (Cask 609), this majestic single malt matured patiently for over half a century before being bottled on November 15, 2021. Gordon & MacPhail, the independent bottlers revered for their meticulous touch, have delivered yet another jewel under their Private Collection banner. A whisky like this doesn’t happen by chance—it’s a symphony conducted by the hands of time and the genius of distillers.
The Longmorn 55 isn’t just a drink; it’s an event. The sherry cask has woven its magic here, turning the whisky into a canvas of flavors that are at once bold yet serenely balanced.
Nosing Notes:
Lean in, and you’re immediately greeted by the warmth of dried fruits—figs and dates laced with a rich sweetness. There’s a whisper of vanilla mingling with polished oak, teasing at the complexity to come. The sherry influence is undeniable yet graceful, never overpowering but gently wrapping itself around the spirit like silk.
On the Palate:
What unfolds is a revelation. Dark chocolate, as rich as midnight, dances with honeyed almonds, creating a luxurious texture. A measured spiciness—soft, deliberate—ushers in depth and elegance, while the oak brings subtle tannins that remind you of the decades this whisky has spent dreaming in wood. Every sip builds on the last, painting a picture of patience rewarded.
The Finish:
This is no hurried farewell. The finish is long, measured, and utterly mesmerizing—dark fruits give way to whispers of aged leather and nutmeg, lingering like a beautiful memory you can’t quite let go of.
Ah, the cask! A First Fill Sherry Butt that gave everything it had to give. Rich with the echoes of sherry it once held, it shaped this whisky into a spirit of stunning depth and texture. Gordon & MacPhail’s guardianship ensured the whisky reached its peak, and what a peak it is.
The rarity of a 55-year-old Longmorn alone is enough to send collectors into a frenzy. But add the craftsmanship behind this release, and you’re looking at more than just a bottle—it’s a piece of history. A gem for the shelf, though one can argue it deserves to be opened and savored as much as admired.
Final Thoughts:
The Longmorn 55 Years Old is a testament to time, patience, and the unwavering commitment of those who refuse to rush perfection. It’s a whisky that whispers stories of 1966, of decades lost and found, and of the enduring artistry of the distillers who made it possible. To drink it is to step into history; to own it is to hold a piece of something truly eternal. This, my friends, is whisky as it was always meant to be.
