Longrow 26 Year Old Springbank Society

This Longrow 1998 is a Springbank Society vintage release, distilled in December 1998 and bottled on 14 April 2025 after 26 years of maturation. It is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Longrow bottlings currently available on the market, reflecting both the scarcity of long-aged peated stock and the infrequency with which Longrow is allowed to reach this age. The whisky spent 23 years in refill oloroso butts, followed by a 3 year finish in fresh Pedro Ximénez hogsheads, before being bottled at 56.1% ABV, natural colour and non chill filtered. The outturn is limited to 485 bottles.

Longrow is Springbank’s heavily peated, double distilled style, and at this age the peat has moved from dominance to structure. Community tasting notes consistently describe the smoke as deep and integrated, often compared to embers, hearth smoke and coastal air rather than sharp or medicinal peat. Extended time in refill sherry wood allows oxidative character to build gradually, while the PX finish adds depth without tipping the whisky into sweetness.

Across multiple tastings, reviewers highlight dark dried fruits such as raisins, figs and dates, alongside molasses, treacle and toasted nuts. These richer notes are repeatedly balanced by saline, mineral and earthy elements, preventing the profile from becoming heavy. Spices including clove, ginger and cocoa appear frequently, along with leather, tobacco and polished oak, all hallmarks of long ageing in sherry casks.

On the palate, the whisky is widely described as powerful but controlled, with the high strength contributing weight and texture rather than heat. Peat smoke remains present throughout, framed by dark chocolate, roasted coffee and gentle bitterness from oak tannin. The finish is long, dry and layered, with lingering smoke, mature oak and dark fruit rather than overt sweetness.