Longmorn 15 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (1980s) 75cl
Could be distilled as early as 1965. Part of our ancient bottle collection.
Located in the whisky haven of Elgin, wedged between BenRiach and the Gordon & Macphail shop is Longmorn, a truly remarkable distillery that has always been a firm favourite of drinkers who want a tropical fruit explosion. While it was hoped that Pernod Ricard would make Longmorn more accessible when they purchased it the single malt expressions are still relatively limited. Longmore remains an extremely important part of Chivas Regal blends, mainly the 18year old and the Royal Salute 21year old. As a standalone product, Longmorn single malt from the 60’s and 70’s is a heavenly cherished whisky.
Longmorn is a popular Speyside distillery, and an essential component in many blends over the years. As such, much of its production is reserved for this purpose and although distillery bottlings first appeared in the 1980s, it was rarely seen before the 15 year old expression was relaunched in 1993. The distillery has long prominent on the independent scene however, and has cult following in Japan, perhaps in no small part to its connection with Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, who modelled the stills at Yoichi on those at Longmorn.
This 15 year old distillery bottling was first released in the 1980s, but was not distributed widely until 1993 when it was rebranded, subsequently becoming a fan favourite, and much missed since being discontinued in 2007.
About Longmorn
Longmorn has quietly provided a sweet and deeply fruity component to a multiplicity of blends since its founding. Its ferments are long, the distillation takes place in eight thick-necked stills, giving a make which is weighty enough to age well in both ex-Sherry and ex-Bourbon
Longmorn has been available as a single malt since the launch of a 15-year-old in 1993, a bottling which sported a slightly fantastical label showing the distillery nestled in the midst of rugged peaks – it’s on the flatlands near Elgin.
This was replaced by an extravagantly packaged 16-year-old in 2007, but the needs of blenders have meant that, even with increased production, the vast bulk of Longmorn is ring-fenced, with a single-cask offering part of Chivas Brothers’ Cask Strength series. It is, thankfully, a regular sight on independent bottlers’ lists and, deservedly, has built up a cult following, particularly in Japan.
Longmorn was built by one of the 19th century’s most interesting whisky entrepreneurs, John Duff. He was born in Aberchirder, worked at GlenDronach, and after designing nearby Glenlossie in 1876, headed to South Africa to try and start a whisky industry there. He failed (as did most, until very recently) and headed to the US to try his hand there. Knocked back once more he returned home and, undeterred, built Longmorn in 1893. Five years after he built another plant next door – Benriach.
It was not an ideal time to build two new plants and in 1899 he was forced to sell to James Grant. Although Duff’s business was not sound, his whisky was and by the start of the 20th century Longmorn was a prize malt, used in a variety of blends including VAT 69 and Dewar’s. In 1920, the young Masataka Taketsuru, one of the fathers of Japanese whisky and founder of Nikka, spent a short period working in the distillery. The stills at Nikka’s two distilleries are said to be modelled on Longmorn’s.
In 1970, the Grant family and blender Hill Thompson (which had a long relationship with Longmorn) merged with The Glenlivet & Glen Grant Distilleries Ltd to create The Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd. This was bought by Seagram in 1977 and (minus Glen Grant) is now part of Chivas Brothers.
43% ABV
75cl
*Please note lid is missing on this top.
This product is not to be purchased by anyone under the age of 18 or drinking age in their country.
We reserve the right to ask for your identification should it be necessary to do so
