A quite rare bottle today! It’s a bottling from six-ish years ago and according to Whiskybase its price is still € 225, so I don’t think it has shown up on Whiskybase’s radar since it’s release years ago.

Even though it mentions that it’s sherry cask, that isn’t really necessary if you take one look at the color of this dram. Also, nosing or tasting kind of gives it away.

Generally I don’t really keep an eye on Linkwood. Of course I have had some good ones in the past, but I also had some real stinkers over the years. Even in our whisky tasting group there’s a running gag about a certain Linkwood by Liquid Sun.

A review then!

Sniff:
Lots of sherry notes, in the GlenDronach way (at this moment of tasting I didn’t know what this is). Some baking spices, plums and dates, a hint of pastry with vanilla. Very 1970s in style, with the heavy notes of leather and syrupy sherry. There’s even a hint of aged balsamic vinegar.

Sip:
The palate is surprisingly gentle, but that’s also because it’s a tad thin. I don’t expect this ABV to be too high, because I would expect a more dense whisky with that. There’s chili pepper after a little while, with dark dried fruits and a bit of a yeasty saltiness. It’s a bit of a sin to mention Christmas cake, but here we go. Contrary to what you’d expect, the thinness is gone after a little while of swimming.

Swallow:
The finish is very consistent with the palate, but doesn’t have any of the wateriness or thinness that started of the palate. A long finish with lots of dried fruits and the first hint of straw and/or barley of this dram.

Lovely and old fashioned. There’s many layers to peel back, and with these heavily sherried drams that seems to be a thing of the past.

90/100