Clear wort, long fermentation and slow distillation all help Linkwood whiskies exhibit a fresh character combined with a weighty mouthfeel – a combination which makes the spirit rather popular in blending circles. This Watt Whisky single malt example hails from 2007 where it was filled into an ex-bourbon hogshead and left quietly for 13 years. £67.95 from The Whisky Exchange.
Nose: Royal icing sits atop marzipan which sits atop a well-made cake. Festival stuff. There’s a creaminess throughout that’s typified by fudge and milk caramel – rather reminiscent of a Trio biscuits. In support – golden barley and toasted cereals alongside scattered lemon peels and a leafiness of fir cones. Dilution expresses honeycomb and Frosties together with French crepes and a glug of herbal liqueur.
Taste: Considerably bolder on the palate than the nose implied – quite the arrival in fact. Ooft. Buttered brioche and stem ginger sits alongside tangerine segments, whilst biscuit crumb and cashew nuts join peppered toffee and touches of mentholated oakiness in the back palate. The addition of water softens things up considerably – honey-imbued barley water and juicy demi-sour apricots making for quite the summery dram.
Finish: Medium to long in length with pepperiness and ginger together with a fading earthy barley quality.
The nose of the Watt Whisky Linkwood is highly inviting – and the undiluted palate offers considerable bulk and impact. But things really come alive when it is taken down a notch or two. Water reveals a fresh, crisp and yet still defined Speyside, that is unfettered by high strength and piquant cask spicing. Nevertheless, both variants work well – I just prefer this one that has had its edges smoothed off a touch.
Review sample provided by Watt Whisky