Longrow Red 15 Year Pinot Noir Cask Scotch 750ML

Longrow Red 15 Year Pinot Noir Cask Scotch 750ML is a limited-release, heavily peated Campbeltown single malt bottled at 51.4% ABV in a 750ml bottle. As the oldest expression in the Longrow Red series, this 15-year-old stands apart through its four-year finish in fresh Pinot Noir barriques sourced from one of New Zealand's most respected wine regions, with only 9,400 bottles produced worldwide.

Quick Facts: ABV: 51.4%  |  Origin: Campbeltown, Scotland  |  15 Year Age Statement  |  Distillery: Springbank

Production & Heritage

Longrow is the heavily peated line produced at the Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, one of Scotland's smallest and most traditional whisky-producing regions. The spirit is twice distilled using barley peated to 50–55 ppm and matured for 11 years in ex-bourbon barrels before spending a final four years in fresh Pinot Noir barriques from Grant Taylor's Valli vineyards in Central Otago, New Zealand. The use of fresh — rather than refill — wine casks gives the whisky a pronounced winey character that interacts directly with Longrow's signature coastal peat smoke, setting this bottling apart from earlier, younger entries in the Longrow Red range.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Brine and struck matches open the nose, giving way to lemongrass, tangerine peel, and buttery honey. A steady undercurrent of ashy peat smoke and wood tannin anchors the fruit-forward top notes.

Taste: The entry is oily and sticky, coating the palate with jammy red fruits — predominantly strawberry and plum — layered over black currants and lemon oil. Mid-palate, earthy peat asserts itself alongside leather, vanilla, and building spice, while the Pinot Noir influence weaves a tannic, winey richness throughout.

Finish: Long and warming, the finish carries spice, raisin sweetness, and lingering wood tannin. Peat smoke returns in the final moments, balanced by a faint residual sweetness that keeps the ending from turning dry.

How to Drink Longrow Red 15

At cask strength, neat with a few drops of water is the ideal serve; water opens the fruit and softens the tannins without diminishing the peat. A single large ice cube also works well if you prefer a cooler, gentler sip. For cocktails, the wine-cask influence and smoky backbone provide unusual versatility: a Penicillin gains extra depth from the jammy red-fruit notes; a Blood & Sand benefits from the Pinot Noir tannins echoing the cherry liqueur component; and a Rob Roy becomes more complex when the winey, smoky character replaces a conventional Highland malt.

Best For

• Gifting a peat-loving whisky collector who values limited-production bottlings
• Side-by-side tasting with other Longrow Red vintages to explore cask-finish variation
• Celebratory drams marking a milestone — graduation, promotion, or anniversary
• Wine enthusiasts exploring how Pinot Noir casks reshape single malt character

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Longrow Red 15 taste like? It delivers an oily, full-bodied palate of jammy strawberry and plum layered with earthy peat, leather, and black currant, all underpinned by tannic structure from the Pinot Noir casks. The finish is long, spiced, and sweetened by raisin and vanilla.

How does Longrow Red 15 compare to Ardbeg 10? Both are heavily peated single malts, but Longrow Red 15 introduces a prominent winey, red-fruit dimension from its Pinot Noir cask finish that Ardbeg 10 does not possess. Ardbeg 10 leans more toward citrus, maritime peat, and ex-bourbon vanilla, while Longrow Red 15 adds tannic depth, jammy berry notes, and a higher ABV of 51.4% versus Ardbeg 10's 46%.

Is Longrow Red 15 good for sipping neat? Yes — its cask-strength bottling at 51.4% ABV rewards slow, neat sipping, especially with a splash of water to unlock the layered fruit and peat interplay.

Where is Longrow Red 15 made? Longrow Red 15 is produced at Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, on the Kintyre Peninsula of western Scotland. Campbeltown was once home to over 30 distilleries and is now one of Scotland's five official whisky-producing regions.

What foods pair well with Longrow Red 15? Smoked duck breast mirrors the peat and fruit profile; aged Gouda or Comté echoes the malt's tannic structure; dark-chocolate truffles complement the raisin sweetness on the finish; grilled lamb chops match the smoky, savory backbone; and charcuterie boards with dried figs bridge the jammy red-fruit notes.

What sizes does Longrow Red 15 come in? Longrow Red 15 Pinot Noir Cask is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Longrow Red 15 worth the price? Longrow Red 15 positions as a premium, limited-release single malt — only 9,400 bottles were produced — from a distillery known for traditional, hands-on production. Its 15-year age statement, cask-strength ABV, and unique New Zealand Pinot Noir finish place it firmly in the collectible tier of peated Scotch.

Why Longrow Red 15?

This is the oldest expression the Longrow Red series has produced, which alone marks it as a milestone bottling. The decision to source fresh Pinot Noir barriques from Grant Taylor's acclaimed Valli vineyards in Central Otago — rather than generic European wine casks — gives the whisky a specificity of origin rare in Scotch finishing. With only 9,400 bottles released worldwide and Springbank's famously limited production capacity, secondary-market availability tightens quickly. For drinkers who value the intersection of heavy Campbeltown peat and fine-wine cask influence, Longrow Red 15 occupies a niche that very few distilleries attempt and fewer still execute at this level of maturity.