After a couple of rum reviews, we need to get back from the enemy lines… We go to the fertile Scottish soil, in the heart of Speyside, at the Linkwood Distillery – with its standard, fruity and delicate whisky. Let’s see if the only member of the core range suits our expectations: 12 years of ageing for this bottling, part of the beautiful Flora & Fauna collection. Wonderful label, as usual.
N: a nice freshness, with huge notes of sugary malt, honey and some caramel. Well structured, even it it’s still kind of young-ish, with red apples and orange peel. Quite creamy: sugared milk, white chocolate, also some caramelised pears. Kind of tropical from time to time (pineapples? yes, exactly). Nice, simple but nice.
P: nice body, even if it isn’t exactly a chewy malt. Intense, creamy and tasty: it perfectly replicated the suggestions of the the nose, from oranges to a biscuity maltiness. Clear notes of apples, some red fruits too, here and there. Creme brulee, toffee. Slighlty peppery towards the end.
F: clean and malty. There’s a sweetness made of caramel, pleasant, lots of toffee notes.
When you think of a typical agile malt, good for every occasion, when you think of an everyday dram, well, you think of a profile that fits perfectly this Linkwood. Easy but not trivial, without downsides in aromatic quality or intensity. Shame there ain’t no other official expressions of Linkwood: we’ll have to catch up some indies! Meanwhile, this F&F will set a record of 84/100.
Recommended soundtrack: Xavier Rudd – Fortune teller.
