I have lots of Linkwoods, and it could very well be one of the distilleries that I've tasted most of so far, without even taking notice. Perhaps this session will show me why I'm still a bit unaware of this whisky, or it could show that its a bit of an under-appreciated malt.
Linkwood 12yo 40% Gordon & Macphail Pure Highland Malt flat 70's bottle
Many of these old flat bottles from G&M have stood the test of time. Is that the case here as well? Dirty golden color, reminds me a bit of the color some fresh fino casks adds to spirit. It smells sweet, vanilla and rum. Citric sweetness, some orange zest and floral notes. Old butterscotch, the sticky ones. The taste is burnt and bitter. Diet Coke without fizz, licorice, spices, needs some water I believe. Now it becomes a bit more light, sweet white wine, light riesling wines. But all in all it just doesn't happen to much here. A very bleak version.
One of those malt whiskies that's just like any bland blend: 3
Linkwood 18yo 1990-2008 43% Signatory Vintage cask#562
One from a bourbon cask, hopefully one that will show there's gold to be found even within the range of recently low strength Signatory Bottlings. Light golden color. The nose shows promises of sweet barley and oaky notes. Very natural sweetness, not that vanilla style I often find in bourbon casked whiskies. A lightweighter so far. The taste is drying, and spirity. One of the oakiest expressions I've ever had, it tastes a bit like tree sap. Not good on my palate, but if you like your whiskies oaky and drying, please try this one.
Much oaky notes, but not in a good way: 3
Linkwood 25yo 1983-2008 50% cask#4715
A bit higher strength, some more years in wood, this one might be a bit more suited for my taste? Pale and almost greenish color. It smells very light and zesty. Green apples and mint julep. Very fresh, a perfect springtime dram so far. The taste is powerful, licorice, caramel, juniper, blueberry marmalade. The finish follows up the nose well with unripe apples, a distinctive sour zesty dryness. I have to say this was a very pleasant surprise. Charismatic for this speyside distillery.
Kind of perfect mix of sweet, sour and dry: 7.5
Linkwood 26yo 1981-2007 54.5% OB Rum Finish
Well, this one was finished 14 years in a rum cask, which makes for over half of its maturation. Is it really a finish or more of a "bourbon started rum matured" whisky? Anyway, lets not get stuck on unimportant details. The color is dark golden. The nose is all spirity. The taste is rich and syrupy, spirity, honeyed, white spirit. I can already now see this needing some water to open up. With water it tastes more fruity, lime rind, grape fruit, white apples. A nice whisky, but not necessarily what you'd expect after 26 long years.
I like it, but it's not a fashionable style like sherry or port finishes: 5
Linkwood 26yo 1981-2007 55.5% OB Red Wine Finish
Again 12 years in bourbon wood, before a 14 years finish in Red Wine wood, I don't know which red wine, but some online sources says it's a sweet red wine finish, so perhaps a zinfandel or something like that. This one has fetched some color for sure, dark copper tones. Smells honeyed, perfumy, cinnamon, cloves, oysters, licorice, orange zest, dark chocolate, prunes. The taste is extremely rich and drying, sweet tobacco notes, almost smoky/peaty, something that reminds me of the Glenfarclas 105, and sherry is in fact a sweet wine. Despite not being a whisky of divine class, its most certainly one of the best red wine cask matured whiskies I've ever come across.
Great stuff, pungent and powerful: 7
Linkwood 26yo 1981-2007 56.9% OB Port Finish
A port finish then. I have to say that I never really warmed to these, mainly portugese casks, being used for whisky maturation, but there has been exceptions. Those exceptions have mainly showed to be from Islay and carrying heavily peated whiskies. That being said, I found some smoky notes in the Red Wine finish, so perhaps there's some hope left for this one? Even darker than the Red Wine finish, borderline brown. It smells sweet, nut mix, raisins, pine wood, creamy, vanilla notes, paint, one of the best nosings I've had in a while. The taste is dark grapes, dark tawny port, rather boring if ever so strong. It needs some water to open up. Now it gets a bit more into that oaky port wood style. And this is my problem with port wood. Port doesn't often balance out the natural dryness of the oak and therefore it becomes a struggle between two similar tastes. This one had a nose that was out of this world, but the follow-up left something to be desired.
It's let down by far too much oak influence and an overbearing port: 4
Linkwood 11yo 1984-1995 60.5% James MacArthur's
I have once again left it up to a young and very potent malt from one of James MacArthurs ranges to try and convince me of one distillery. I mean, the first two in this tasting fell flat, third one was a charm and the three last ones were a bit too experimental to put light on the spirit itself. White wine color, smells sugary, lambs wool, paint thinner, detergent, a bright whisky to say the least. The taste is thick and austere, far too much peppery stuff going on. It needs some water. Now it turns more bitter, and even dryer. I'm afraid this was not the answer I was looking for after such a varying session.
It'll be a while before I try Linkwood again, I think: 2
Next tasting: Bladnoch Distillery
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