Linkwood is one of those endearing distilleries that are hard not to like.
Linkwood is a classic Speyside malt, with a very fruity, floral and fresh character. This whisky plays a major roll in the Johnny Walker blends, including the now dis-discontinued Johnny Walker Green Label.
Photo Credit: geograph.org.uk
The distillery uses a very long fermentation (75 hours), the stills are only partially filled to improve copper contact and the spirit stills (there are three of them, each paired with a wash still) are rested between still runs to allow the copper to regenerate. The result is usually lovely. This makes it the perfect whisky for blends, and there’s a fair amount of it out there on the independent market, not least through Gordon and MacPhail’s seminal ongoing “distillery label” release of the heavily sherried Linkwood with a 15 and 25 year old, as well as several vintage single casks, including a totally stunning 1953 Private Collection Ultra which I got to review here.
The label on the Whiskybroker bottle I’ll review today is has an obvious typo in the distillation date, as it’s stated as 30.11.1990. Having been bottled on 25.11.2014, this would not give a full 24 years to the whisky. The mystery is solved, however, on Whiskybase, where the distillation date is stated as a more conceivable 30.4.1990.
Whiskybroker Linkwood 24
Whiskybroker Linkwood 24, Hogshead 3450, Distilled 30.4.1990, Bottled 25.11.2014 (51.7% ABV, NCF, NC)
Appearance: Gold with thin, slow forming legs.
Nose: Delicately floral with light balsamic vinegar, a certain cerealness, light peppery spice and some sour notes.
Palate: Strong pepper, much more than foretold by the nose, some honey and a herbal note reminiscent of sage.
Linger: Spice and floral notes on the tongue, dryness on the sides of the cheeks, spicy pepper in the back of the throat.
Conclusion
Decent Linkwood, this expression is somewhat less complex than I would have expected.
Nevertheless, it’s a fine dram.