Linkwood. It’s an integral single malt Scotch, but a whole lot of Scotch drinkers have both not tried it but, or will not be accustomed to it.
I am kind of in considered one of these camps. It’s a single malt I solely grew to become conscious of because of it being a primary part of Johnnie Walker’s Inexperienced Label mix. Which means: if you happen to’ve had the Inexperienced Label no less than as soon as, you’ve technically had Linkwood, however simply not in its single malt type. Regardless of having identified about all of it these years, I’ve solely tried it as soon as via an impartial bottler (IB). I used to be new to whisky at the moment, so I couldn’t work out what to consider it. Fortunately, the native importer of Douglas Laing had some obtainable, so I used to be capable of purchase a pattern bottle from the Outdated Explicit vary.
Linkwood is an integral Scotch as a result of it’s beloved by blenders, which suggests most of it goes into Diageo’s blends, and doubtless different blends too. That primarily explains why it’s not repeatedly obtainable and why it’s not too well-known – in my a part of the world, at least- regardless of getting used quite a bit.
Many of the Linkwoods I see are single casks bottled by impartial bottlers. I feel the one repeatedly obtainable expressions of it will be the Flora and Fauna Linkwood 12. There are additionally Linkwoods blended and bottled by Gordon & Macphail, however I’m unsure in the event that they’re nonetheless obtainable. They did the identical for Mortlach however, because it grew to become extra in style, the vary was discontinued.
Linkwood has the same manufacturing course of to different blender’s malts corresponding to Clynelish and Aultmore. Linkwood’s fermentation time lasts for 75 hours, whereas the opposite two have a minimal fermentation time of 55 hours. Having a longer-than-usual fermentation time in wood washbacks provides them extra character and taste. The biggest single malt manufacturers often do round 50 hours max of fermentation in stainless-steel washbacks. This ends in them having largely a lighter and cleaner style. Linkwood’s pot stills use shell and tube condensers.
With that mentioned, we will count on Linkwood’s texture and taste to be considerably near Clynelish or Aultmore. In an period the place the demand for single malts has elevated, and in a time the place individuals slowly need extra taste, it’s not stunning that blender’s malts corresponding to Mortlach and Clynelish have turn into extra in style, to the purpose that Diageo have began making Mortlach extra available.
With a combined bag of things, and with blender’s malts more and more being drunk as single malts, I feel we will solely count on Linkwood to turn into extra in style. For instance, Mortlachs and Clynelish bottled by impartial bottlers at the moment are a lot tougher to seek out. As different related choices dry up, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than followers of the identical profile flock to Linkwood. The inflow of recent drinkers and drinkers getting geekier will even speed up this.
The Linkwood distillery is positioned on the outskirts of Elgin. It was established in 1821, however solely began manufacturing in 1824. That is as a result of proprietor, Peter Brown, having needed to maintain his nostril clear till the 1823 Excise Act grew to become regulation.
In 1874, the distillery was fully rebuilt by his son William. They have been impartial till they joined Distillers Firm Restricted (DCL) in 1936. DCL owned them as much as 1986. Regardless of present process common upgrades, the distillery remained operational. In 1972, a distillery was constructed reverse the previous constructing.
Each buildings ran till 1985 when the unique one ceased manufacturing. It was used for experiments. That is the place Diageo did analysis relating to copper, reflux and discovered extra of the consequences of worm tubs.
United Distillers acquired them in 1986 and remained so till 1997. That is when Diageo was fashioned. Till now, Linkwood continues to be beneath them. In 2012, the unique constructing was demolished as a part of an improve. The now new website had six new washbacks and two new stills put in (because of scotchwhisky.com for these notes).
Outdated Explicit Linkwood 2007 12 Years Outdated – Evaluate
48.4% ABV. USD $65 regionally.
Coloration: Hay.
On the nostril: A pleasing mixture of floral, grassy and candy cereal aromas. I get mild to medium aromas of toffee, caramel, Frosted Flakes cereal, diluted honeysuckle, honey and garden grass. On the finish are aromas of recent minimize garden grass and kombucha.
Within the mouth: The ABV is a little more evident right here with the presence of a burn. It’s similar to the nostril. I get mild to medium tastes of honeysuckle, Frosted Flakes cereal, honey, garden grass, toffee and caramel. However the honeysuckle right here is extra intense, rounder and extra lasting. The bitter aromas don’t switch right here. In-between are delicate tastes of apples, pears, star fruit and hazelnut syrup.
Conclusions:
To those that bitch about Malt all the time giving a 5 or 6, let or not it’s identified that we solely give larger scores to drams that deserve it… and that is considered one of them.
That is such a pleasure to drink. The warmth hits you prefer it’s 43%, however it has all of the physique and taste a better ABV dram brings. There’s the correct amount of flavors and complexity right here. I’d give this a better rating if solely they lasted longer. Possibly if this was aged for a bit longer?
I can see why blenders love this single malt. It has such a nice profile. The character this provides to blends and blended malts are for everybody. Let me appropriate myself by saying that is extra like an Aultmore or a Glendullan than a Clynelish. There’s no soiled texture and taste right here.
Extra of this please? Hopefully extra IBs will mix Linkwood for a daily small batch launch. I’m certain Diageo will launch this repeatedly some day however understanding them, they’ll make it anemic.
Rating: 7/10
Picture courtesy of The Whisky Trade.
