Campbeltown Whisky Finishes?

Before you all start panicking - no Springbank aren't closing down! I thought I'd write a blog comparing two drams in my collection - an old bottle of mine : Springbank 14yo Port Wood and a recent sample I received from Andy the Amateur Drammer : Longrow Red 12yo Pinot Noir. Both are cask strength malts from Springbank in Campbeltown but with subtly different finishes.

Last whisky from Campbeltown?

Distillery : Springbank
Whisky : Port Wood 14 years old (2004)
Presentation : Card box with clear front, some distillery information; clear bottle with cork stopper, some 'hand written' whisky information.
Source : Distillery Shop (a number of years ago)
Price : No longer available 😥

Characteristics : 700ml, 52.8% ABV, Non-Chill Filtered, Not Coloured
Box/Bottle Information : "12 yrs refill sherry, 2 yrs fresh port pipes, distilled 1989, bottled September 2004, out turn 7200 bottles"

Colour : Old Gold.
Glance : Oily, leaves thick trails when swirled around the glass.
Nose : Wine, port. (Water brings out a nutty aroma)
Palate: Mouth filling, chewy, pineapple and dry apricots, it's huge, obviously the 52,8% ABV gives you that but the mouth feel is fantastic, it hits you then quickly goes dry. (Water brings out bananas)
Finish : Medium oily finish some pear and more of the drying apricot.
Link : Springbank Port Wood.

No just different finishes!

Distillery : Springbank
Whisky : Longrow Red 12 years old (2015)
Presentation : Sample bottle.
Source : @amateurdrammer
Price : No longer available 😥

Characteristics : 52.92% ABV,

Colour : Deep Copper
Glance : Oily, leaves thick trails when swirled around the glass.
Nose : Sweet smoke, chocolate with brazil nuts (Water enhances the chocolate)
Palate: Very dry peaty, overpowering almost gritty in the mouth.
Finish : Sharp bitter burn giving way to a medium winey finish.
Link : Longrow Red

Overall : Two quite different drams from a favourite distillery of mine, the Port Wood has been in my collection for a long time but is nearing the end of the bottle, it's been an irregular go to for cold winter nights and will be missed, you don't really notice the strength. The Longrow is very different : overpowering without the addition of a little water even though it is a similar strength to the Port Wood, I'm guessing the peat is 

making the difference? Both benefit from the addition of a little water, the Port Wood gains a little on the nose and taste - shortening the finish but still excellent! With water the Longrow's nose became even more chocolatey and I didn't like it.

Port Wood & Pinot Noir