Longmorn 1984-1996 12yo Cadenhead Authentic Collection 58.1%

This bottle was an unusual presence at the Green Cadenhead Fair. Longmorn LONGMORN 1984-1996 12yo CADENHEAD Authentic Collection 58.1% The aroma is rich sherry, heavy and complex with notes of prune, bitter chocolate, coffee, caramel sauce, slightly sweet rice wine (mirin) or balsamic vinegar, and a strong malty character with a touch of burnt aroma. On the palate, it expands with a rich and powerful flavor, offering concentrated sweetness reminiscent of berry jam or prune, mirin, a touch of tamari soy sauce, and the umami of malt. From the mid-palate onward, a subtle tropical sensation like pineapple emerges, with depth and richness. It also carries a pleasant astringency reminiscent of herbal liqueur, finishing with a long and luxurious aftertaste. [Good/Very Good, Interesting] This bottle comes from the Cadenhead Authentic Collection, aged for 14 years from 1984. While Green Cadenhead typically features more plain styles, this bottle is notably a deep sherry cask finish. From the outset, the aroma strongly reflects the influence of the sherry cask, delivering a concentrated fruitiness, chocolate, coffee notes, and a pleasant lingering malty character. It is rich, complex, and warm in aroma. On the palate, it delivers a thick sherry flavor as expected from its aroma. There are faint nuances of soy sauce-like and sulfurous elements, but I believe these were likely mellowed over approximately 20 years post-bottling. Now, they contribute depth without any unpleasantness. Additionally, there were subtle hints of classic Longmorn fruitiness from deeper layers, which was intriguing. The balance between the rich jam-like sweetness and astringency is well-achieved, with the malt's umami remaining due to its relatively short aging period. It offers a full-bodied, satisfying flavor profile. While this bottle does not evoke an aristocratic or intoxicating sherry character, it strongly conveys a unique, heavy, and complex nuance as described above. It evokes the image of a meaty, distinctive woman, making this an interesting Longmorn. I once thought most 1980s sherry casks were heavily sulfurous, but recently I've encountered fewer extreme examples. This may reflect changes in barrel selection, and there are likely many bottles like this where the sulfurous elements have mellowed through bottle aging. #Longmorn (LONGMORN)