Longmorn 24 years 1990 Cadenhead's One of 300 - bottled 2015 Small Batch (Brown)

Scotland, Speyside. Distillery operational. Owner: Chivas Brothers, Pernod Ricard

A blender's malt par excellence, Longmorn is considered a “Top Malt” in the Scotch whisky industry. This title, shared by just a dozen of the hundreds of distilleries spread across the Highlands including Macallan, enabled it to survive the difficulties of the 20th century in the shadow of Chivas Regal. For a long time limited to just two expressions, Longmorn 10 Year Old and Longmorn 15 Year Old, it would not be until the 21st century (2004) that its owners recognized its right to exist on the international scene as a single malt and equipped it with its own special bottlings. In the meantime, independent bottlers took to the malt. Making sherry-cask maturation its trademark, Gordon & MacPhail gave it an identity revered by and renowned amongst enthusiasts and collectors.

A small batch of Longmorn distilled in 1990, aged in bourbon casks and bottled in 2015. Cadenhead was founded in Aberdeen in 1842 by George Duncan. William Cadenhead then joined the company and, when George Duncan died in 1858, took over and renamed the business after himself. William’s nephew Roberth Duthie developed the company in the early 20th century and it remained a family business until 1969. William Cadenhead Ltd was then sold to the Springbank distillery’s owner J. & A. Mitchell and Co. Hedley G. Wright, a direct descendent of Archibald and John Mitchell, became William Cadenhead Ltd’s CEO. In the past, Cadenhead had mainly sold its own brands, such as Putachieside, The Hielanman, Seven Stars and Green Label rums. Under Hedley G. Wright, the company began to take more of an interest in single malts. This led to the creation of the legendary collection of dumpy bottles in 1977. This series of single malts stood out for its very gentle filtration, lack of artificial colouring, and relatively high bottling strength for the time (80 proof/45.7% ABV). The labels included lots of information, including the month and year of distillation and bottling, and whether or not sherry casks were used. Also in 1977, the business moved to another address in Aberdeen, and finally to Campbeltown. In the 1980s, Cadenhead sold casks to legendary bottlers such as Samaroli and Corti Brothers through the subsidiary Duthie’s. Finally, two new whisky ranges were created in 1991 and 1992, the Original Collection bottled at 46% and the Authentic Collection bottled at cask strength. Other special series to mark Cadenhead’s major anniversaries (150 and 175 years), as well as new ranges launched since (Small Batch, World Whiskies, etc.), have all contributed to the company’s ongoing history up to the present day. A limited edition of 300 bottles.