December 8, 2014

A Linkwood extravaganza

Linkwood’s a beautiful and rather delicate distillate. I’m wondering why the owners never quite pushed it anymore after circa 1990, most well known expressions of Linkwood are or were by Gordon & MacPhail. Some kind of post-Victorian deal?

Linkwood 12 yo (40%, OB, John McEwan, white label, 75cl, +/-1980)

This baby should make for a nice aperitif. Colour: straw. Nose: as always, it’s hard to detect what comes from good OBE, or if that was there in the first place. What’s sure is that we have some rather beautiful whiffs of ‘sweet’ shoe polish and herbal teas, as well as notes of quinces and rosewater. Very old Sauternes that went dry, nutty… But the whole isn’t very big, the palate might be flat, let’s see… Mouth: no, this is perfect. Some kind of smoked herbal tea, rosehip, hawthorn, then orange blossom, a touch of butterscotch, oriental pastries… A very fine light spirit, with something feminine – although that doesn’t make much sense anymore, agreed. Finish: a little short but clean, with more honey this time. Drops of walnut wine. A little bouillon in the aftertaste, but that should be OBE. Comments: love this old OB, why have they stopped bottling Linkwood as a ‘regular’ OB? Would make for a fine counterpoint to Mortlach. SGP:451 - 85 points.

Linkwood 13 yo 1994/2014 (46%, Orcines, cask #11970)

Colour: white wine. Nose: how very interesting! This comes from a shy cask, so we’re close to the distillate, and what I get is something akin to some light mezcal at some point. So a slightly smoky grassiness, then rather baked apples, butterscotch and warm brioche early in the morning in a Parisian bakery (oh forget!) In the background, quince jelly. I adore quince jelly. Mouth: some kind of oak-aged Williams pear eau-de-vie. A few fresh garden fruits (raspberries and gooseberries first), then rather more pastries. Croissants, custard, a few ripe plums. Good body, all quite easy. Finish: good length. Pastries and fruits. Plums. Comments: it’s a simple, easy, clean, uncomplicated, natural malt whisky. Very honest and loyal. SGP:541 - 82 points.

Good, we had a 12, then a 13… I guess a 14 would make sense.

Linkwood 14yo 1972/1987 (61.6%, Gordon & MacPhail)

Woops, the strength is very high. So much for an aperitif… Colour: gold. Nose: splendid! Jams and jams plus jams and more jams, you cannot beat this. With water: superb, smooth fruit jams and cakes galore. First apricots and quinces, then plums and various smooth oils. Fruity olive oil… Mouth (neat): An impeccable western fruit bomb. Pears, grapes, berries, they’re all there – or so it seems, because the strength is really… strong. With water: honey and sweet barley, corn syrup, orgeat, a little fudge and many dried fruits. Dates, bananas, pears… Comments: as easy as whisky bottled at 61% vol. can be. It’s just not very complex, but maybe that’s the water. SGP:641 - 86 points.

We’ve got another 14 years old…

Linkwood 2000/2014 (55.8%, Malts of Scotland, refill sherry butt, cask #MoS 14025, 606 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: similar to the old G&M, just a little fresher and less ‘fat’. More estery, if you like. Pineapples, pears, just a little varnish… With water: some sweet barley coming out, warm croissants, a pack of dried sliced bananas… Mouth (neat): kirschy, very fruity, very eau-de-vie-ish. This could really be kirsch! Or some kind of plum eau-de-vie. With water: fruity Speysidy joyness. Bubblegum, Turkish delights and marshmallows. Whisky for kids? I’m joking. Finish: long, with a little more bitterness. Around chlorophyll, grass and green tea. Or leaves and stems. Cherry stems? Comments: a raw eau-de-vie-ish, youngish Linkwood in my opinion, for lovers of this style. SGP:641 - 80 points.

Linkwood 27 yo 1987/2014 (47.3%, Whisky Agency, The Perfect Dram, rum finish, 179 bottles)

Yeah, a rum finish sounds as unlikely as Britney singing Schubert, but I have to confess I had loved some rum finishes, such as an old Tomintoul by DL if memory serves me well. Let’s see… Colour: straw. Nose: more Linkwood than rum, and that’s good news. Maybe did the rum add wee notes of bananas – maybe – but other than that, we’re having a gently fruity Linkwood, with just an added layer of mint and eucalyptus, which adds even more freshness to the combo. Also a touch of earth, always welcome. Mouth: well this is excellent. Some kind of high-end fruit liqueur, with peaches, plums and melons, plus a touch or honey and, once again, a little mint – as in Moroccan mint tea. Good body, good mouth feel, no flaws whatsoever. Finish: fairly long, fruity, with an herbal signature. Banana skins? Rum? Comments: the rum remained unobtrusive, so to speak. Not sure I’d have detected it, had I not known it was there. Excellent Linkwood in my book. SGP:551 - 87 points.

Linkwood 28 yo 1985/2014 (53.4%, Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange, hogshead, cask #4538, 161 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: starts with just a little chlorine, it’s just like you’re entering Monte Carlo’s municipal swimming pool. After that, there’s a much unexpected coastal peatiness, then ‘a walk in the forest after a heavy shower’, then bags of fruit peelings, first apples, then kiwis and (probably) mangos. A very un-Linkwood Linkwood so far, interesting… With water: becomes both even more coastal, and more ‘Linkwood’. Where is Linkwood Distillery again? Mouth (neat): ex-Islay cask? Marzipan and peat, smoked salmon, sour cream, cough medicine, apple peelings, butter pears. How unusual indeed. With water: it’s got something of some ex-Seagram peated Benriachs, as far as I can remember. I find some lime, smoke, lemon, sage… Finish: rather long, maritime and citrusy. In short, not very ‘Linkwood’, but certainly very good. Comments: this baby loses you. Not obligatorily a bad feeling. Oh divine abandon! SGP:553 - 85 points.

Game for a very last one? I certainly am…

Linkwood 1984/2014 (49.2%, The Whisky Agency, hogshead, 174 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: to think that this is 29 or 30 years old. It’s elegant, not big, but very fruity, delicately so. Subtle despite a wee varnishy note at first sniffing, with notes of acacia honey, melons, meadow flowers, orange blossom, banana skin, then rather moss and fern, old damp wood… It’s all very delicate, subtle, complex… But maybe not totally rewarding. Pinesap, honeydew… Mouth: great! Starts with a little hashish – yeah, really – and chartreuse, and a feeling of damp oak, and honey, and orange liqueur, and peppermint. Goes on rather on earthy tobacco, malt, toasted oak, earthy tea… The oak gets a notch too drying, but that’s all right since the rest is wonderful. Notes of juniper, perhaps. Finish: long, oaky, piny. Bitter oranges, green pepper. Comments: the oak on the palate will prevent me from going above 89, but that was close. Peace & Love. SGP:551 - 89 points.

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