Distillery in Focus: Longmorn

Distillery in Focus: Longmorn
Region: Speyside
Name: Longmorn ("The place of the Holy Man")
Status: Active
Website: N. A.
Telephone: + 44(0)1542783417
E-Mail: N.A.
Address: Longmorn, Elgin. Moray. IV30 2SJ. Latitude/Longitude: 57°36'31.11"N, 3°16'53.53"W
Visitor centre: No
Owner: Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard)
Established in 1895

Technical details:
Water source: Borehole for process water
Malted barley: N.A.
Malt bins: 400,000 tonnes.
Mill: N.A.
Mash tun: 1 stainless steel domed traditional infusion mash tun
Washbacks: 8, stainless steel (40,400 L)
Yeast: Distillers and Ale yeast (2006)
Fermentation: 44 h
Stills: 4 wash (16,820 L) and 4 spirit stills (3x 15,000 L and 1x 13,638 L)
Warehouses: palletised, dunnage and racks
Production capacity: 3.5 mio LPA
Employees: N.A.
Casks used for maturation: American oak bourbon and European sherry casks
Percentage for single malts: N.A.
Contribute(d) to the following blends: Chivas Regal, Queen Anne, Something Special, Royal Salute.

The Longmorn distillery

Regular Bottling:

Longmorn 16 YO, 48% (since March 2007)

Other bottlings:

At least 2 single casks of Longmorn have been bottled by Chivas for sale at their visitor centres only.

For the tasted whiskies, click here

The different Longmorn expression: Cask Strength Edition (distillery only), the first 15 Yo, the second 15 YO (until 2007) and the 16 YO 48%.

History of the Longmorn Distillery

A preliminary announcement of the proposal to build Longmorn distillery was made in 1893 and was greeted by this comment “'Still another distillery! Truly they are all in for Glenlivet. And evidently the latest one announced for Longmorn is not the last that this district will see” in the Northern Scot journal of October 1893. The Longmorn Distillery Co, a partnership of George Thomson, John Duff and Charles Shire, finally built the distillery in 1895. It was incorporated as Longmorn-Glenlivet Distilleries Co. ltd in 1898 when they took over the Benriach-Glenlivet distillery and James Grant took over the responsibility of the distillery and eventuall to his two sons P.J.C and and R.L. Grant. The Directors or managers of the Longmorn-Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd were Jas Anderson (of J. G. Thompson & Co from Leith), Arthur Sanderson (from Wm Sanderson, Vat 69), John A. Dewar from Perth, William H. Nicholson, Wine and Spirit merchant, and John Duff, distiller. Tests were conducted in 1967 with peat from the Northern Peat and Moss Litter at New Pitsligo to replace the peat from Mannoch-hill. The results were positive and the source of peat changed. British Railways decided to close the rail siding in November 1968 and that the coal, coke, cask and malt was then transferred to road transport. In 1970, the Longmorn-Glenlivet Distillery Ltd amalgamated with Hill, Thomson & Co. ltd and the Glenlivet & Glen Grant distilleries to form the Glenlivet Distillers ltd and floor operations were stopped at the Longmorn distillery. Some malted barley was prepared at the neighbouring distillery of BenRiach. The number of stills was increased from 4 to 6 in 1972 and to 8 in 1974. Due to space constraints, the still house was separated in two parts, one with the 4 wash stills and one with the 4 spirit stills. With this final extensions, production was increased of 67% . A Steam engine was still used occasionally in the 1980s. The Glenlivet Group, including Glenlivet, Glen Grant and Longmorn distilleries together with Hill Thomson, taken over by Seagrams for £48m in 1977. The stills were converted from coal fire to steam heating in 1994. A waterwheel drove the rummagers of the stills. On the 19th December 2001, Pernod Ricard took over part of Seagram, including the Longmorn distillery operated by its subsidiary Chivas Brothers.

Source: Distillery visit, The Scotch whisky industry record by H. Charles Craig, The Scotch Whisky Distilleries by Misako Udo, Schweppes Scotch Guide by P. Morrice, Chivas Brothers personnal communication.
www.whisky-news.com/Patrick Brossard © 07Jun 2012.

The mash tun

The old steam engine

The 4 wash stills are in the original still house

The Sprit Safe

Tasted whiskies:

Official/original bottlings (OB)

Age

Longmorn 15 YO, OB, 43% Rating: 15/20

Longmorn 15 YO, OB, 45%, B: 1990s Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 16 YO, OB, 48%, B: 2007 Rating: 13/20

Longmorn 16 YO, OB, 48%, B:2015. Rating: 12/20

Longmorn 16 YO, OB, 48%, B:2017. Rating: 13/20

Vintages

Longmorn 1999 Distillery Reserve Collection, 16 YO, OB, 59.6%, B:2015, c. 10449, 816 b. Rating: 14/20

No Age Specified (NAS)

Longmorn Distiller’s Choice, OB, 40%, B:2017 Rating: 13/20

Longmorn Distiller’s choice, OB, 40%, B:2017. Rating: 08/20

Independent bottlings (IB) and anonymous Longmorn

Acla Selection

Longmorn 1992, 21 YO, Acla Selection, 52.1%, B:2014 Rating: 15/20

Adelphi

Longmorn 21 YO, Adelphi, 52.1%, B: 2013, c. 48436, 256 b. Rating: 16/20

Alambic classique

Longmorn 1970, 39 YO, Alambic, 51.7%. B: 2009 Rating: 17/20

Berry Bros & Rudd

Longmorn 1992, Berry Bros & Rudd, 46%, B: 2006, casks 62849/50 Rating: 15/20

Blackadder

Longmorn 1972 for Caledonian Connections, 29 YO, Blackadder, 57.6%, B: 2001. Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1999, 10 YO, Blackadder, 62%, c. 4569 Rating: 13/20

Cadenhead's

Longmorn 1987 Small Batch, 26 YO, Cadenhead’s, 49.5%, B: 2013 Rating: 13/20

Chieftains

Chieftain's Choice Highlands (Longmorn) 1964, 50%, Chieftain's Rating: 17/20

Corti Brothers

Longmorn 1964 for Corti Brothers, 21 YO, 43%, B:1986. Rating: 17/20

Douglas Laing (including Douglas of Drumlanrig)

Longmorn 1994, Douglas of Drumlanrig, 57.8%, B: 2013, Ref 10176 Rating: 12/20

First Editions, The

Longmorn 1985, 27 YO, The First Editions, 48.3%, B: 2012 ES013/02 Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1995, The First Editions, 58.8%, B: 2014 Rating: 14/20

Glenscoma

Longmorn 1990, Glenscoma, 49.8%, B:2013 Rating: 15/20

Gordon & MacPhail

Longmorn 1963, 33 YO, G&M, 40%, B: 1996 Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 1964 for Intertrade, 20 YO, G&M, 56.8%, B: 1985 Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1964 for Intertrade, 20 YO, G&M, 56.8%, B: 1985 Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1966, 27 YO, Sprit of Scotland, 40% , B:1994, c. 12019. Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1966 Private Collection, 35 YO, G&M, 46%, B:2022 Rating: 10/20

Longmorn 1966 Private Collection, 53 YO, Gordon & MacPhail, 46%, B:2019 Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1968 for Limburg, G&M, 60.5%, B: 2009 Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1969 for the Whiskyfair, 38 YO, G&M, 54.6%, B: 2008, c. 3724 Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1969 for TWE, 39 YO, G&M 57.3%, B: 2009, c. 5305 Rating: 13/20

Longmorn 1969 for The Mash Tun, 39 YO, G&M, 58.9% Rating: 19/20

Longmorn 1969 for Van Wees, G&M, 59.4%, B: 2011, c.5294 Rating: 19/20

Longmorn 1969 for LMDW, 39 YO, G&M, 50%, c. 5295. Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1971 for Limburg, 38 YO, G&M, 47.4%, B: 2009, c. 4812, 190 b. Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 1972, 29 YO, G&M, 46%, B: 2001 Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1972 for Van Wees, G&M, 53.4%, B: 2011, c. 1084. Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1972 for La Maison du Whisky,34 YO, G&M, B: 2006, 45%, c. 1088. Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1973, 33 YO, G&M, 54%, B: 2006, cask 3650 Rating: 16/20

Jack Wiebers Whisky World

Longmorn 1975 Cross Hill, JWWW, 53.20%, B: 2007, 130 b Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 1992 World of Orchids, 21 YO, Jack Wiebers, 54.3%, B: 2013 Rating: 14/20

James MacArthur

Longmorn 1976, James MacArthur, 57%, B: 2001 Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1996, 16 YO, James MacArthur, 57.7%, c. 156778 Rating: 14/20

Kinsbgury

Longmorn 1974, Kingsbury, 46%, B:2000, c. 3497 Rating: 15/20

Longmorn 1976, 30 YO, Kingsbury, 59.7%, B: 2006 Rating: 16/20

MacArthur

Longmorn 1990, 14 YO, MacArthur, 59.7%, cask 30110 Rating: 15/20

Mackillops

Longmorn 1976 sherry, 30 YO, MacKillops, 54.3%, B:2006, c. 5879 Rating: 19/20

Samaroli

Longmorn 1974 20th Anniversary, Samaroli, 50%. B: 1988, 540 b. Rating: 17/20

Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Longmorn 1968 (7.25), 35 YO, SMWS, B: 2004, 51.7%, 421 b Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1968 Cold Nights and Warm fires, 40 YO, SMWS, 53.3%, B: 2008, 381 b. Rating: 14/20

Longmorn 1988 (7.32), 16 YO, SMWS, D:1988, 54.8% Rating: 17/20

Scott's selection

Longmorn 1967 (750 ml), Scott’s selection, 53.0%, B:2004. Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 1968 (750 ml), Scott’s selection, 61.4%, B:2004. Rating: 17/20

Longmorn 1971, 28 YO, Scott’s selection, B:1999, 57.8% Rating: 18/20

Longmorn 1971 (750 ml), Scott’s selection, 53.5%, B:2004. Rating: 16/20

Vallinch & Mallet

Longmorn 1989, 28 YO, Vallinch & Mallet, 45.4%, B:2017, cask 17-0128 Rating: 15/20

Van Wees (The Ultimate)

Longmorn 1996 The Ultimate, 17 YO, Van Wees, 57.2%, B:2013 Rating: 13/20

The Whisky Agency

Longmorn 1973 Fino sherry, Joint bottling with Tokyo 3 river and The Nectar, 37 YO, TWA, 37 YO, 58.0%, 252 b. Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 1976, 34 YO, TWA, 50.2%, B: 2010 Rating: 16/20

Longmorn 1976 The Perfect Dram,35 YO, TWA, 53.6%, B: 2011. 187 b. Rating: 18/20

The Whisky Fair

Longmorn 1976, 31 YO, The Whiskyfair, 54.1%, B: 2007, 131 bottles. Rating: 18/20

Others

Longmorn-Glenlivet Liqueur, Portal Dingwall & Noris, 86 Proof, B: 1930s Rating: 17/20

Official/original bottlings (OB)
Age
Longmorn 15 YO, OB, 43%	Rating: 15/20
Longmorn 15 YO, OB, 45%, B: 1990s	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 16 YO, OB, 48%, B: 2007	Rating: 13/20
Longmorn 16 YO, OB, 48%, B:2015.	Rating: 12/20
Longmorn 16 YO, OB, 48%, B:2017.	Rating: 13/20

Vintages
Longmorn 1999 Distillery Reserve Collection, 16 YO, OB, 59.6%, B:2015, c. 10449, 816 b.	Rating: 14/20

No Age Specified (NAS)
Longmorn Distiller’s Choice, OB, 40%, B:2017	Rating: 13/20
Longmorn Distiller’s choice, OB, 40%, B:2017.	Rating: 08/20

Independent bottlings (IB) and anonymous Longmorn

Acla Selection
Longmorn 1992, 21 YO, Acla Selection, 52.1%, B:2014	Rating: 15/20

Adelphi
Longmorn 21 YO, Adelphi, 52.1%, B: 2013, c. 48436, 256 b.	Rating: 16/20

Alambic classique
Longmorn 1970, 39 YO, Alambic, 51.7%. B: 2009	Rating: 17/20

Berry Bros & Rudd
Longmorn 1992, Berry Bros & Rudd, 46%, B: 2006, casks 62849/50	Rating: 15/20

Blackadder
Longmorn 1972 for Caledonian Connections, 29 YO, Blackadder, 57.6%, B: 2001.	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1999, 10 YO, Blackadder, 62%, c. 4569	Rating: 13/20

Cadenhead's
Longmorn 1987 Small Batch, 26 YO, Cadenhead’s, 49.5%, B: 2013	Rating: 13/20

Chieftains
Chieftain's Choice Highlands (Longmorn) 1964, 50%, Chieftain's	Rating: 17/20

Corti Brothers
Longmorn 1964 for Corti Brothers, 21 YO, 43%, B:1986.	Rating: 17/20

Douglas Laing (including Douglas of Drumlanrig)
Longmorn 1994, Douglas of Drumlanrig, 57.8%, B: 2013, Ref 10176	Rating: 12/20

First Editions, The
Longmorn 1985, 27 YO, The First Editions, 48.3%, B: 2012 ES013/02	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1995, The First Editions, 58.8%, B: 2014	Rating: 14/20

Glenscoma
Longmorn 1990, Glenscoma, 49.8%, B:2013	Rating: 15/20

Gordon & MacPhail
Longmorn 1963, 33 YO, G&M, 40%, B: 1996	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 1964 for Intertrade, 20 YO, G&M, 56.8%, B: 1985	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1964 for Intertrade, 20 YO, G&M, 56.8%, B: 1985	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1966, 27 YO, Sprit of Scotland, 40% , B:1994, c. 12019.	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1966 Private Collection, 35 YO, G&M, 46%, B:2022	Rating: 10/20
Longmorn 1966 Private Collection, 53 YO, Gordon & MacPhail, 46%, B:2019	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1968 for Limburg, G&M, 60.5%, B: 2009	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1969 for the Whiskyfair, 38 YO, G&M, 54.6%, B: 2008, c. 3724	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1969 for TWE, 39 YO, G&M 57.3%, B: 2009, c. 5305	Rating: 13/20
Longmorn 1969 for The Mash Tun, 39 YO, G&M, 58.9%	Rating: 19/20
Longmorn 1969 for Van Wees, G&M, 59.4%, B: 2011, c.5294	Rating: 19/20
Longmorn 1969 for LMDW, 39 YO, G&M, 50%, c. 5295.	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1971 for Limburg, 38 YO, G&M, 47.4%, B: 2009, c. 4812, 190 b.	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 1972, 29 YO, G&M, 46%, B: 2001	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1972 for Van Wees, G&M, 53.4%, B: 2011, c. 1084.	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1972 for La Maison du Whisky,34 YO, G&M, B: 2006, 45%, c. 1088.	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1973, 33 YO, G&M, 54%, B: 2006, cask 3650	Rating: 16/20


Jack Wiebers Whisky World
Longmorn 1975 Cross Hill, JWWW, 53.20%, B: 2007, 130 b	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 1992 World of Orchids, 21 YO, Jack Wiebers, 54.3%, B: 2013	Rating: 14/20

James MacArthur
Longmorn 1976, James MacArthur, 57%, B: 2001	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1996, 16 YO, James MacArthur, 57.7%, c. 156778	Rating: 14/20

Kinsbgury
Longmorn 1974, Kingsbury, 46%, B:2000, c. 3497	Rating: 15/20
Longmorn 1976, 30 YO, Kingsbury, 59.7%, B: 2006	Rating: 16/20

MacArthur
Longmorn 1990, 14 YO, MacArthur, 59.7%, cask 30110	Rating: 15/20

Mackillops
Longmorn 1976 sherry, 30 YO, MacKillops, 54.3%, B:2006, c. 5879	Rating: 19/20

Samaroli
Longmorn 1974 20th Anniversary, Samaroli, 50%. B: 1988, 540 b.	Rating: 17/20

Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Longmorn 1968 (7.25), 35 YO, SMWS, B: 2004, 51.7%, 421 b	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1968 Cold Nights and Warm fires, 40 YO, SMWS, 53.3%, B: 2008, 381 b.	Rating: 14/20
Longmorn 1988 (7.32), 16 YO, SMWS, D:1988, 54.8%	Rating: 17/20

Scott's selection
Longmorn 1967 (750 ml), Scott’s selection, 53.0%, B:2004.	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 1968 (750 ml), Scott’s selection, 61.4%, B:2004.	Rating: 17/20
Longmorn 1971, 28 YO, Scott’s selection, B:1999, 57.8%	Rating: 18/20
Longmorn 1971 (750 ml), Scott’s selection, 53.5%, B:2004.	Rating: 16/20

Vallinch & Mallet
Longmorn 1989, 28 YO, Vallinch & Mallet, 45.4%, B:2017, cask 17-0128	Rating: 15/20

Van Wees (The Ultimate)
Longmorn 1996 The Ultimate, 17 YO, Van Wees, 57.2%, B:2013	Rating: 13/20

The Whisky Agency
Longmorn 1973 Fino sherry, Joint bottling with Tokyo 3 river and The Nectar, 37 YO, TWA, 37 YO, 58.0%, 252 b.	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 1976, 34 YO, TWA, 50.2%, B: 2010	Rating: 16/20
Longmorn 1976 The Perfect Dram,35 YO, TWA, 53.6%, B: 2011. 187 b.	Rating: 18/20

The Whisky Fair
Longmorn 1976, 31 YO, The Whiskyfair, 54.1%, B: 2007, 131 bottles.	Rating: 18/20

Others
Longmorn-Glenlivet Liqueur, Portal Dingwall & Noris, 86 Proof, B: 1930s	Rating: 17/20