The friends choice, Linkwood Distillery

I let a friend that know little or nothing of whisky randomly select the name of a Speyside Distillery to taste the other day. He chose Linkwood because he found the name of the distillery funny. There you go!
I have tried many linkwoods, and more often than not I find them to excel if matured in sherry or other wine casks. No such casked in this session, bourbon wood only. But an age, strength and range difference that gives this whisky every opportunity to shine. I think.



Linkwood 24yo 1987-2011 51.4% Malts of Scotland cask#11008

From a bourbon hogshead. I love these small MoS-bottlings. I I often find their vast variety a bit too expensive to hoard up on, so this is a great alternative for those that doesn't have money growing on a tree in their garden. Apple juice color. It smells vanilla, toffee, oaky, wheat bread, nail polish, seems much younger than 24yo. The taste is very acidic, fizzy fruit drops, lemon, green apples, beetroots, pickled cucumber, garlic. I think this one needs some water. With a couple drops added this turns sweeter, marzipan, cognac, white wine, acidic, lemon zest, tonic water. The finish is short and peppery.

A very tight/bitter whisky, no fruity sweetness or peppery power: 3


Linkwood 20yo 1989-2010 53.5% Malts of Scotland cask#1826

Another one from a bourbon hogshead, slightly younger and stronger. Same color as the 1987. It smells sweet, banana, heather, cream, stewed onions, a potent bourbon matured whisky it seems. The taste is excellent, sweet white wine, caramelized onions, hazelnuts, coconut, peppery, bitter, ginger. Given some time it becomes a bitter extravaganza, as bitter as they come I think, lemon seeds, tonic water, rubber, orange rind. Now it has lost some of its initial sweet charm, but perhaps some water will restore it. With some water it turns more nutty, I like it better now. hazelnuts, cashew, sweet nuts.

Cheaper and better than the 1987, go on you young whiskies!: 5.5


Linkwood 16yo 55.8% Cadenhead's

I have to say that Cadenhead's is one of my favorite IBs, not only because they have a great range, but they do bottle some whiskies that not many others do. Look out for some rum casked Fettercairns. Amazing stuff. But as with all big IB's the distance between top and bottom seems very big. It smells cocoa, caramel, honey, biscuits, ginger bread, hay, wheat, banana, cinnamon, creamy, very good. The taste is extremely peppery, a bit too much, needs some water I think. Water doesn't help much, still very peppery, creme crackers, drying, nothing more. This had the most promising nose and the most disappointing palate.

A nosing freak? please try this one, the taste won't thrill anyone I think: 3


Linkwood 10yo 1984-1994 60.5% James MacArthur's

As mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of these high strength youngsters from James MacArthur's. Which seems to be a bit of the fashion these days as older casks are getting a bit scarcer, and demand are increasing as we speak. White wine color. It smells extremely peppery, vanilla, juniper, licorice, cream, a lot of licorice. One of the best nosing so far, but do it the Richard Patterson way, if you're dipping your nose too far into the glass, the alcohol level will kill you. The taste is all on ginger and herbs, raw onions, it needs water. With added water it turns fruitier, peaches and pears, bitterschnaps,licorice, peppery.

Old style, bitter and brutal: 3


Next tasting: Speyside Distillery chosen at random by Girlfriend