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| Hello, that is considered one of our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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Might 1, 2025
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A bit Linkwood quartet
(3 from 2013 + 1 from 1978)
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We take pleasure in tasting Linkwood, which Michael Jackson as soon as mentioned had a rose-like aroma. However was he referring to the outdated distillery or the brand new one? In any case, each operated in tandem between 1972 and 1985, a scenario that inevitably brings to thoughts Clynelish and Brora. The outdated one closed in 1985, so it’s fairly attainable that the 1978 we’re about to attempt as we speak comes from it.
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Paul Bocuse’s Soupe VGE (P. Rougereau) |
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Linkwood 11 yo 2013/2024 (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, recharred hogshead, casks #301827, 301830, 301834) 
Color: straw. Nostril: that is contemporary as a daisy, on inexperienced apples and pink grapefruit, all draped over a mattress of chalk and clay, with some grist buzzing within the background, the entire laced with custard however and not using a whisper of extra. A beautiful nostril, extraordinarily pure. Mouth: the barley malt is given full stage right here, with returns of chalk and grist, plus this time extra like apple peelings, alongside an enthralling bitterness and even a shocking salty flick, as if one of many hogsheads had beforehand held an Islay – earlier than being recharred, naturally. End: of medium size, contemporary, leaning extra in direction of fruit eaux-de-vie, even a contact of barely soapy kirsch peeking by means of. The salty be aware comes again within the aftertaste. Feedback: very nice, very ‘pure’.
SGP:551 – 85 factors. |
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Linkwood 11 yo 2013/2024 (54.8%, Dràm Mor, refill French oak oloroso hogshead, cask #900162, 325 bottles)
Color: gold. Nostril: fairly the shock, on contemporary concrete, soot, walnut and a stack of shiny magazines, then ashes. One’s somewhat curious what a couple of drops of water would possibly do. With water: rubber and tar, inexperienced walnuts, and some dabs of mustard. Mouth (neat): it’s large stuff, all on chocolate and caramel stirred with ashes and a dusting of pepper. Fairly hanging, actually. With water: that curious saline contact from the Small Batch version pops again up, however in any other case it veers drier, extra classically oloroso. End: lengthy and dry, on bitter chocolate, ashes but once more, and a smoky, peppery edge. Feedback: fascinating. I prefer it loads, even when it leads you down an odd little path from time to time. I’m wondering what Michael Jackson would have made from it – I believe he wouldn’t have discovered a single rose petal.
SGP:352 – 85 factors. |
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Linkwood 10 yo 2013/2024 ‘Version #19’ (57.1%, Signatory Classic ‘100 Proof’, 2nd fill oloroso sherry butts)
Color: full gold. Nostril: and right here we’re, peonies and rose petals straightaway, then chocolate, a pack of Ricola originals, caramel, nougat, blood orange and walnut liqueur. With water: marzipan soaked in kirsch and a high-quality walnut cake. Mouth (neat): superb, textbook stuff from this latest collection, on ginger, very black tea, peppermint, fruitcake and an ever-increasing grind of pepper. A contact of leather-based and tobacco to spherical it out. With water: again to a extra classical sherry model, with prunes steeped in Armagnac. End: lengthy, pretty wealthy, ever so barely salty as soon as once more, ending on dates. Feedback: no motive to present this pretty wee child something however the identical rating.
SGP:551 – 85 factors. |
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Linkwood-Glenlivet 17 yo 1978/1995 (55.5%, Cadenhead, Genuine Assortment, sherrywood matured) 
One does love that textual content on the again label: “This whisky has been bottled from a specific particular person cask in its pure state and exhibits the character of that cask. It has not been diluted with water. It has not been handled to alter its color and is free from all components. It has not been subjected to any filtration that may take away pure constituents and spoil its flavour. It’s the genuine product of its distillery.” They actually have been pioneers, and naturally this child was ‘Matured in an Oak Cask’, as was solely correct at Cadenhead’s, since chestnut and acacia had already been banned. Ahem. |
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Color: chestnut (ha!). Nostril: that is old-school sherry all proper, rather more on sport and hoisin sauce than as we speak’s sherries, on ristretto espresso – contemporary again from Italy, they are surely the one ones who know methods to make a correct espresso – and coal tar. Magnificent. With water: it’s the walnuts main the cost now, together with a couple of pecans and a splash of beef inventory with bone marrow and parsley. I even suspect there’s a shaving or two of truffle. Mouth (neat): unbelievable sherry, dry, meaty, smoky, salty, tarry and intensely chocolatey. With water: a wonderful broth, within the model of Paul Bocuse. End: lengthy and salty, extra on citrus now (finger limes), however the walnuts stay firmly on the helm, and for a very long time. Liquorice salted to the hilt within the aftertaste. Feedback: what a sherry, what a beast! You merely don’t come throughout this kind of factor in fashionable manufacturing anymore, that’s for certain.
SGP:562 – 93 factors.
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