Two young Linkwood


April 10, 2020

The Confined Sessions
Two young Linkwood

And let’s make it a time-warping session, for more fun. Well, hopefully…

Linkwood 5 yo (43%, OB, Darma Import, 75cl, +/-1975)

Linkwood 5 yo (43%, OB, Darma Import, 75cl, +/-1975)
An old five years old for Italy. It’s to be noted that Samaroli did also import this one later on, while there were also vintages versions, a bit like Glen Grant used to do. Colour: gold. Nose: many old bottlings like this one do share some common trait, especially the ‘old young ones’. And that would be a combination of soot and metal polish, which is totally the case here. Actually, this baby’s got strictly nothing to do with the rounder, richer, fruitier and, more than anything else, more floral notes that are to be found in fresher bottlings of Linkwood. Also rocks, clay, coal smoke, ham, sorrel soup and paraffin. You say Linkwood? Mouth: really huge, close to Clynelish 5, just a tad gentler and perhaps a notch maltier. But other than that, you’re having some of the thickest, most extreme manzanilla. En Rama! (unfiltered). Lustau have got such full-bodied ‘nillas – not their regular Papirusa. Anyway, a spectacular young Linkwood, very old-school. Was it still direct fired? Worm coils? Finish: long and very salty, dry, meaty, smoky, austere… It was not one of those young malts that used to be advertised as ‘lighter malt whiskies’ at all. Comments: what’ sure is that this was the old 2-still distillery, made before they built a new distillery in 1971 (which they’ve been modifying and rebuilding several times since back then). A bit like what happened at Brora/Clynelish, even more so since the old distillery was closed in 1985, just two years after they had closed Brora. Ravishing young whisky, tasting it is like driving an old Mercedes-Benz. Smells of spent oil but runs well.
SGP:364 - 89 points.

That little 'Darma' from Italy reminded me of the 900 Ducati Darmah (circa 1978) and I have to say I used to be pretty much into... oh forget!

Let’s pick an interesting sparring partner…

Linkwood 11 yo 2007/2019 (54.9%, James Eadie, Amontillado cask finish)

Interesting because this one’s seen quasi-manzanilla in real life. I mean, amontillado is not manzanilla at all, but it’s much closer to manzanilla than it is to PX, is it not? (That’s totally fallacious, S.) Colour: deep gold. Nose: huge amontillado indeed – if you don’t know amontillado, just imagine a blend of fino and oloroso 60/40. Not it’s not a blend, but just to give you an idea. Oh please… Walnuts, wood dust, bitter ale, touch of mustard, autumn leaves, parsnips, celeriac, tobacco… With water: oak spices earth, gravel, old barrel, mud, new jumper (wool)… Mouth (neat): very rich, very creamy, a tad gingery and leafy, with a lot of walnuts yet again, as well as hints of turmeric. Good but not totally easy and easing. With water: this saltiness again, soups, cured ham, pepper, raw chocolate (say 85%)… Finish: rather long, bitter and rather all on dry sherry, salt, leaves and mustard. Comments: rather a fighter. We’re very close to some pretty extreme amontillados indeed.
SGP:272 - 84 points.

And perhaps a little bonus…

Linkwood 1997/2018 (57%, Or Sileis, cask # 12191, 287 bottles)

Do cats really know how to nose whisky? What have they put into the glass instead? A lovely picture nonetheless, cats are our friends at WF Towers! Colour: gold. Nose: it’s rather fragrant, between orange cake and ginger cookies, with a wee rubbery/raisiny side that suggests seasoned sherry wood. I would say it does need water. With water: gets greener, drier, with some asparagus, branches, roots and drops of rapeseed oil, the malt and porridge. Mouth (neat): rather pungent, with a very oily texture, a touch of chili (pizza sauce) and quite some green walnuts. With water: some oak spices indeed, orange drops, marshmallows, ale… Finish: medium, rather on candies, raisins, and more green walnuts. Spicier aftertaste. Comments: very fine, but not too characterful. I’m afraid the old 5 years old would kill them all, unless you put some of those pre-WWIIs by G&M on the table. Next time!
SGP:561 - 82 points.

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