Sampled tonight at the Good Spirits Co. virtual tasting.

This is excellent - 90s across the board from me.

The nose is really unusual, with loads of coal smoke (it really is like nosing a bag of anthracite) and dirty concrete.

The coal translates into the palate, which is incredibly oily.

And the continuity of flavour holds on into the finish, which delivers dusty smoke for a long time.

A beautifully composed and coherent, old-school dram.

Closed and uninteresting nose without development. Distantly reminiscent of Springbank's rubbery shades.
The taste is bitter and dry. Feeling of old shabby wood. The aftertaste is characterless and rather weak.
It’s even somehow strange that it was bottled and sold. Precisely for this money it makes no sense to buy it.

Nose - 21
Taste - 22
Finish - 21
Balance - 22
Rating - 86
P.S. - Sober Attempt # 2 Breathing bottle is much better. But not a masterpiece. Everything is a little bit better ... 87 So if you drink it with a bottle, but not with samples...
Nose - 21,5
Taste - 22
Finish - 21,5
Balance - 22
Rating - 87
P.S. - Not a very sober attempt # 3. The breathable bottle enhances the aroma, but the base of the taste is missing somewhere. Again 86
Nose - 21,5
Taste - 21
Finish - 21,5
Balance - 22
Rating - 86

Comparison between Longrow 21 (2019) and Longrow 21 (2020)

In the nose, the fruits of the 2019 are more yellow and sometimes exotic. In 2020 they aren't exactly dark either, but they look tart overall.
In addition, the 2019er has the typical longrow smoke, which is already relatively broken down. In addition, dirty notes from the Springbank distillery, a few herbs, as well as maritime and mineral impressions.
The smoke at 2020 looks a bit stronger, darker and heavier. In addition, spices, tobacco and some herbs. Also dark wood tones and nuts.

The 2019 is less fruity in the mouth than it is in the nose. Sweetness and wood notes come. Wood sugar. Not too sweet caramel. Plus the smoke. Then orange peel and grapefruit. It gets drier.
The 2020 is again less tart than on the nose. The sherry notes have some acidic tones. I like the way. Then add the smoke and nuts. Towards the end there is slightly bitter oak and a little salt.

Which do I find better now. Difficult. The 2019 is the lighter and more delicate of the two in comparison. The 2020 is therefore heartier.
On the nose, I like the 2019 better. Somehow it looks more playful and not as dull as the 2020s.
In the mouth I like the 2020s. It comes out fuller and fuller. The 2019 is a bit too flat for me.

Both of them will no longer be price-performance winners, so buying a bottle is out of the question.

I briefly poured myself the Longrow 18 (2017). Because of the composition, it is more in the direction of the 21er (2019). And the 18 doesn't have to hide from the 21. But on the contrary. The 18s look even stronger.

So if there is another bottle from an older Longrow from the standard range, it will probably be an 18 again.

Nose 21.5, taste 21.5, finish 21.5, balance 21.5