Quite a batch of Linkwood


May 1, 2024

Quite a batch of Linkwood

It's true that there are many of them. For a long time, Mortlach and Linkwood have been similarly available, especially from independent bottlers (G&M, the Italians) but in recent years, Mortlach has been premiumised by its owners and has become somewhat rarer amongst independents, while Linkwoods have become increasingly plentiful. Brand policies, what can you do... Well, we're going to taste these Linkwoods, all fairly young I believe, a bit randomly, as they come...

Linkwood's old kiln (Anne Burgess, geograph)

Lindowie 16 yo 2007/2023 (54.3%, The Whisky Cask Company, PX sherry, 281 bottles)

That starts off well, a Linkwood under a pseudonym ! Looks like it's got nothing to do with the city of Lindow in Poland. Actually this baby spent thirteen years in bourbon, before someone decided to transfer it to PX for three further years. Colour: gold. Nose: I don't think you could be more on vanilla, pastry dough, apple juice, raw malt and raw barley (right the other way 'round). I'm not sure anyone would say 'PX'. With water: some paraffin, sunflower oil, touch of unscented soap… Children having extra-washed their hands, see what I mean? Mouth (neat): more winey touches, from the PX I'm sure, otherwise more high-malt beer, oak, apple peel… It is a tad tannic and bitterish, but no prob. With water: all good, really on cider and plum juice. A few bitter herbs coming through, raw plum spirit… Finish: medium, with hood balance, average in the best sense of that word. Comments: the PX behaved.
SGP:451 - 85 points.

Linkwood 11 yo 2010/2022 (53.2%, Valinch & Mallet, Young Masters Edition, cask #134, 550 bottles)

Obviously from a butt or a puncheon, given the outturn. Colour: gold. Nose: slight flintiness at first, then walnuts and fumes. Pecan pie, peanut butter, sourdough, proper pizza dough (not Domino's)… With water: even nicer. Praline, roasted peanuts, and clearly notes of amontillado. Mouth (neat): ah very good. Trappist beer with walnuts and the expected touch of mustard. Then old dates and figs bought in a souk, slightly oxidized but sooooo good. With water: impeccable. Nutty, peppery, fino-y (mustard, ashes, old walnuts) with a hint of some kind of sour curry sauce. Not too sure about that part. Finish: long, spicier but balance was kept all along. Comments: for lovers of very dry sherry who aren't afraid of a feeling of a bit of 's'. Almost 88.
SGP:362 - 87 points.

Linkwood 2008/2022 (56%, Or Sileis, cask #WG768E, 285 bottles)

A wee kitten as a prima ballerina on the label, seems that cats are really having it good in Taiwan. After all, they do bring luck – well ours do at WF Towers, just not to birds and mice. Colour: full gold. Nose: a very clean one, on sweeter American oak, nougat and popcorn, ripe bananas, ditto papayas and mangos, and as much vanilla as expected. With water: l-i-m-o-n-c-e-l-l-o. Mouth (neat): very soft and sweet, just perfectly composed, this time more on citrus, marmalade, citron liqueur and just pepper liqueur. Very creamy texture. With water: pretty perfect, in all its simplicity. Finish: medium, a tad syrupy, in a good way. Tangerine liqueur this time, perhaps. Comments: I remember Michael Jackson used to find roses in Linkwood. So yeah, forgot to mention rose liqueur.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Linkwood 13 yo 2010/2023 (55.9%, DH Global Spirits, Connoisseurs Dram, new wood, cask #306750, 358 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: this time we're all on cakes, scones, muffins (while he thought he was man – nod to FZ), Danishes, almond croissants and vanilla fudge. It is faultless. With water: a basket of pink grapefruits, I would say. Mouth (neat): it may be new oak, and indeed you do feel some extra spices, especially white pepper, but it was probably well-charred as nice bananas and oranges are keeping the lead here. Very nice citrus, touch of eucalyptus and pine (that's that new wood). With water: sweeter yet, rounder and nicely citrusy. Think of all kinds of liqueurs our Italians friends would make out of citrus fruits. Limoncello, clemencello, orangecello, tangerinecello, violoncello (ooh that's funny, S. Next time, you're fired). Finish: medium and awesomely liqueury and citrusy. Comments: almost too good, see what I mean? Oh, forget…
SGP:651 - 88 points.

While we're in Asia…

Linkwood 15 yo 2008/2023 (51.7%, Maltbarn for Shinanoya Japan, sherry, 146 bottles)

Maltbarn can pull a 90 just like that. Shinanoya too. Colour: straw. Nose: the glory of a youngish Speyside of great quality, matured in a sherry cask that really behaved. Brioche, a few sultanas, sourdough, overripe apples, some Wulong/Oolong tea, barley syrup, some acacia honey, fresh wisteria in the morning (before the bees have plundered all flowers – love bees), also touches of mullein (same comments about bees). With water: fresh croissants from a real bakery. Good morning. Mouth (neat): just perfect young Linkwood, with some toasted oak, bread and pastries. Triple-sec and a little ginger tonic. Two or three lemon drops. With water: more on citrus. Candied lemon slices. Finish: medium, fresh, with more vanilla and not that many raisins. Comments: perhaps not 90, let's not exaggerate, but we're pretty close. Class.
SGP:551 - 88 points.

Linkwood 10 yo 2011/2022 (52.5%, The Cooper's Choice, bourbon cask, cask #303532, 318 bottles)

It's splendid, The Cooper's Choice maintains the tradition that in the matter of Scottish malt whisky, the years are referred to as "long years". Ten long years… We find that charming, don't we? Alas, they forgot to add 'unhurried'. Colour: pale gold. Nose: as we expected it, full of vanilla, soft beers, muesli, cakes, plus grist and husk… How natural is this? With water: the same. Cassata, nougat, a hint of pine sap… Mouth (neat): just sweetly very good. Sweet barley, orange liqueur, hops, a little ginger beer… Well it seems that this barrel was just a tad 'grittier' than the others today. With water: it loves water, gets liqueury in a great way, displays oranges and tiny bitter herbs, as well as bitter almonds, orgeat and all that. Finish: rather long, more citrusy and even creamier. Shall we mention limoncello again? Comments: excellent drop.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

Linkwood 10 yo 2013/2023 (56.9%, Berry Bros. & Rudd, LMDW New Vibrations, hogshead, cask #303792, 310 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: it's an interesting one because there is a medicinal aspect, as if this hogshead had previously sheltered a coastal peater. Some ointments, a drop of mercurochrome, some roots (carrots, turnips)… And probably not a huge Linkwoodness – should that exist. With water: who did the stencilling for this cask of Highland Park? I am joking. Well, half-joking. Mouth (neat): indeed, a feeling of blended malt, with 5 to 10% peat. Some menthol, a little salt, ashes, lemons… This is very good. Just not very Linkwood (and he insists). With water: it's getting even better, this excellent in-cask blended malt. Finish: long, a little salty, lemony, slightly peaty. Comments: you're right, they may have done some lightly peated batches at Linkwood, in 2013. Anything is possible. Great, intriguing little drop.
SGP:563 - 87 points.

I think we'll be content with eight Linkwood today and shall go on tomorrow. So our #8 will be an older one, for a little panache…

Linkwood 30 yo 1993/2023 (50.2%, Hunter Laing, Platinum Old & Rare, refill hogshead, 205 bottles)

Shall we find Michael Jackson's roses?... Colour: white wine. Very pale, that's good news, this should be time-driven. Nose: oh, flowers indeed, honeysuckle, acacia, freesia, pansy, almond flowers… And indeed a lot of nectar, honey, some almond milk, pistachio syrup… Long story short, it all went tertiary while remaining very close to meadows, fields, Mother Nature… With a drop of water: citrus emerging, as well as small berries once you've crushed them, sorb, holly, sloe… All a little almondy. Mouth (neat): exceptionally good, I believe we found our 90, despite all this natural rubber and wax in the way. And all these almondy notes. With water: fresh fruits coming through, especially guavas. A tiny ueber-gingery touch. Finish: medium, with a perfect fresh fruit + small berries + all things almondy combination. Comments: excellent, and not yet fragile. An old natural Linkwood somewhat suspended in time.
SGP:561 - 90 points.

Check the index of all Linkwood we've tasted so far