Glen Elgin 2004 (Lady of the Glen)

“Orange Blossom Special” 

Whisky Review # 1068

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glen Elgin 2004 - Distilled: 04-03-2004

Matured and Bottled by: Lady of the Glen (LotG) on 15-03-2021

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # 801298 
Age: 17 Years - Limited Edition -  240 Bottles

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 55.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Hogshead with Ex Ruby Port Barrique Finish
Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 120,00  (July 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😏 Borderline acceptable
Buying Advice: 👍 Nice Fruity Speysider that benefits from the Port Finish

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Mainly Sweet with additional Sourness from the Port cask. The Nose is Soft and slightly underwhelming. Lots of Citrus and Green/Grassy notes. It's okay but i had expected a bit more to be honest.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Honey, Yeast, Dough, Citrus Peel (Orange, Tangerine & Mandarin), Dried Fruit like Apricot, Figs, Banana and Raisins, Grass and Straw, Fortified Red Wine, Fresh Green Herbs, Dusty Oak, Aniseed, Mint and Cinnamon. There are notes of Chocolate as well but I can't make up my mind. Sometimes I get Dark Chocolate and sometimes Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Wax, Cake with Cream and Strawberries, Vanilla, Toffee, Lemon, Berries, Apples and Pears, Tobacco, Leather, Varnish, Peanut Butter, Nougat, Nutmeg & Pepper.  

Palate:

For me the best part of this Glen Elgin. The Alcohol is more present now and Oak and Spices come to the forefront. It remains pleasantly Fruity though with both Sweet and Sour notes. A very light Bitterness. Medium-Dry. I like it. 😃

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Honey, Buttery Cake with Cream and Strawberries, Grass & Straw, Citrus Peel (Orange, Tangerine, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Lemon) Dried Fruit (Figs, Apricot, Raisin, Apple, Pineapple), Fresh Green Herbs, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon,  Pepper and Nutmeg.    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Wax, Vanilla, Toffee, Sugar, Bounty Bars, Pear, Floral notes, Tea with Milk, Dark Chocolate, Tobacco, Leather, Cloves and Ginger.  

  

Finish:

Middle-Long. Mostly Sweet & Sour notes with a very light Bitterness for balance. Dry in the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable now. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Wax, Citrus Peel (Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Tangerine), Red Berries, Green Apple, Cream, Nougat, Dark Chocolate, Hazelnuts, Herbal Tea, Floral notes, Red Wine, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Aniseed, Ginger and Cloves.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water that enhances the Barley and brings some juicy Peach to the Nose. On the Palate and in the Finish the Alcohol is controlled & the added Water guarantees a smooth drinking experience. I like it both ways.  

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Glen Elgin distillery is located four miles south of Elgin in the small village of Fogwatt close to the A 941. It was founded in 1898 by James Carle and William Simpson. It had its ups and downs but was finally bought by DCL in 1930. Today it's part of the Diageo Group and became one of their Classic Malts range in 2005. Most of the Spirit is destined for Blends like White Horse. The only official bottlings are the 12 Years and the limited 18 Years Edition I reviewed earlier.

As you all know I'm usually not that keen on Red Wine cask finished Single Malt. But in this case it works and the result is a very Fruity Glen Elgin that combines both Sweet and Sour notes with a slight Bitterness for balance. The Nose is a bit shy but Palate and Finish are quite pleasant and invite you to have another sip. It's not cheap of course but other than that I can recommend this Elgin if you like the Aroma/Flavour profile.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                         July 10, 2025

Auchroisk 2008 (Pendulum Spirits Ltd)

“Thin As a Brick”

Whisky Review # 1066

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Auchroisk 2008 - Distilled: 10-04-2008

Bottled By: PSL (Pendulum Spirits Ltd) - Fable Chapter Nine Storm on 18-10-2021

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky

Age: 13 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Hogshead - Cask # 806196 - 264 Bottles
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 80-90 (June 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 It's not worth your money

Buying Advice: 👎 Not good enough for a 13 Year old Single Malt

Colour:

White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Not a lot going on here. Very underwhelming for a Single Malt. The Nose is Sweet and a little Dirty and Rough. You have to be extremely patient to dig up some faint notes. Mostly slightly Sour Fruits, Malt, Herbs and Nuts.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Toast with Margarine, slightly Sour Gooseberries, Grapefruit and Plums, Seville Orange, Lemon, Nuts, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Caramel, Apples and Pears, Cooked Cabbage, Wet Paper, Car Repair Shop, Herbs, Plastic, Pepper and Cinnamon.

Source: Whisky.Com

Palate:

Young, Thin, Dirty and Nervous with mostly Sugary Sweet and Sour notes. It's not your average mainstream Malt. I usually like that but not in this case. It's just not good enough.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Sugar, Sour Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Apple, Seville Orange and Plums, Oak, Nuts, Pepper, Ginger & Menthol. The slightest hint of Factory Smoke.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Caramel, Straw, Obstler, Pear, Lemon, Cloves & Licorice.

      

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Hot, Dirty & Spicy. I find Sugar, Malted Barley, slightly Sour Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Plums and Citrus, Caramel, Nuts, Heather-Honey, Apple, Pear, Oak, Pepper, Cloves, Ginger, Menthol and Licorice.

    
Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & that helps bringing some fresh Orchard fruit to the Nose. It doesn't do a lot of good to the Palate and Finish though. Less Alcohol of course but also less flavor. This Auchroisk does not perform both with or without Water.

Rating: 6 (******)

Nose: 6 - Taste: 6 - Finish: 6

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline acceptable. No serious off-notes.

Conclusion:

Auchroisk was founded in 1972 by Justerini & Brooks and became part of Diageo in 1997. The annual production arounds to 5.8 million litres. Almost all of it goes into the Diageo blends. The only official bottling is the 10 Year old Flora & Fauna.

Almost six million litres of Auchroisk Spirit disappear in the Diageo blends every year. I wonder why though. It doesn't bring much to the table apart from lots of mostly Sour Fruit. I will try to get a sample of the 10 Year old Flora & Fauna to check if it's interesting enough as a Single Malt. Based on this expression made by PSL I'm not too optimistic though. My advise is to leave this kid alone!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                         June 30, 2025

Caol Ila 2008 (Cooper's Choice)

“A Soap Opera”

Whisky Review # 1063

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Caol Ila 2008 - Distilled in May 2008 - Bottled in 2020

Bottled By: The Vintage Malt Whisky Comp. Ltd (VM) -  Cooper's Choice series

Type: Single Malt "Single Cask" Scotch Whisky - Cask # 9116 - 324 Bottles

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54.5%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Amarone Red Wine cask Finish

Chill Filtration: No 

Price Average: US$ 100 (April 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline Acceptable

Buying Advice: 👎 Look for alternatives like the Longrow 11 Years Cabernet 

Color:

Golden with a shade of red (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Be sure to avoid nosing in the middle of the glass to avoid the initial strong waves of Alcohol and Varnish. I'm a big fan of Caol Ila but this Nose does not really work for me. There's an early unpleasant undertone that reminds me of burnt Garden Waste and cheap Soap. I never perceived these notes when tasting the regular Distillery 12 Years so it's likely a cask issue. Over time the Nose improves so be sure to give this Caol Ila enough time in the glass before Nosing. Other than the above the Nose is mostly Sweet but also presents some Sour notes. The typical Islay notes are still there but they are slightly obscured by the Amarone Finish.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Toast with a Margarine spread, Bacon, Fish & Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Dried Fruit like Sultanas & Raisins, Cold Smoke, Wet Peat, Hospital, Rubber, cheap Soap, Leather, Pepper & Ginger.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Salted Caramel or Toffee, Vanilla, Roasted Nuts, Grapefruit, Soy Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, slightly Sour Red Wine, Grass & Straw, Tar, Wet Rocks and Sand, Burnt Orange Skins, Tobacco, Seaweed and Dusty Oak.      

Palate:

Again, I'm not really pleased with the result. There must have been some issue with the initial Ex-Bourbon casks or the Amarone cask used for the Finishing. It's Dirty but not in a pleasant way. I've had a Longrow 11 Years Cabernet Sauvignon Cask once and that was so much better in every aspect. 

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Bacon/Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and mixed Herbs, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Tar, Ashes, Hospital, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Ginger and Aniseed.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toasted Nuts, Cooked Vegetables, slightly Sour Red Wine, Soy Sauce and Balsamic Vinegar, Leather, Wet Stones and Sand, Floral Soap, Rubber, Nutmeg and Burnt Grass.

Finish:

Medium-Long. Sweet at first but with developing Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. The aftertaste is slightly "Dirty" and Metallic. I also find Toasted Grains & Nuts, Cooked Fruits and Vegetables, Cold Smoke, Dirty Peat, Tar, Ashes, Hospital, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Bacon, Fish and Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with Herbs and Lemon, Grapefruit, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dusty Oak, Floral Soap, Aniseed, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Rubber, Leather and old Cigar Boxes.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Malt. It adds more Acidic notes to the nose.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is  8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline okay

 

Conclusion:

The Caol Ila Distillery was founded in 1846 and is located close to Port Askaig on Islay. It was bought by DCL in 1927 and through some mergers finally became part of Diageo. The distillery was rebuilt in 1974 and only one old Warehouse reminds us of former days. Traditionally, Caol Ila is an important component of Blends like Johnnie Walker, Bell's and White Horse. But during the last 15 years Diageo has made great efforts to position the Distillery as a Single Malt as well. Caol Ila is really beautifully located alongside the strait between the islands of Islay & Jura. The Core range includes the 12, 18 & 25 Years, the Distiller's Edition as well as the NAS Moch. We thoroughly enjoyed both our visits to the distillery in 2014 & 2017 respectively despite the fact that you're not allowed to take pictures. Caol Ila is certainly one of my favorite distilleries and Single Malts.

Amarone is an Italian Red Wine from the Valpolicella region in Veneto made from partially dried grapes, mainly of the Corvina variety. The Caol Ila I'm reviewing here was finished in a cask (# 9116) that previously held Amarone Wine. I must confess I'm not too pleased with the result. It smells and tastes "Dirty" like an Unfinished Symphony. I must blame the Cask Management. It's either that or I'm having a complete off-day. Because normally I quite enjoy Caol Ila in any shape or form. As it is however I can't recommend this specific VM expression. Too Much Soap Will Kill You as Brian May sang back in the days 😜

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                        April 17, 2025

Glenburgie 1989 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“Old Man”

Whisky Review # 1060

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenburgie 1989 - Distilled: 20-09-1989 - Bottled: 25-09-2019 
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail - Connaisseurs Choice Series  - 185 bottles

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask # 14142
Age: 30 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 53.2% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Refill Sherry Hogshead
Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 900 (March 2025) - Hard to find

Price/Quality Ratio: 😟 It can't be cheap of course but it's not worth the price

Buying Advice: 😐 It's nice enough although it overstayed its time in the cask 
 
Colour:

Mahogany with deep shades of Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Mature Sherried Nose. Not too powerful thanks to the Refill cask. The Oak is very present and I believe this Glenburgie could/should have been bottled a few years earlier. Still it's not bad at all with Dried Fruits, Nuts, Honey, Oak & Spices in the lead. The Alcohol is reasonably well-integrated. Sweet with some Sour accents.A little Sulfur perhaps but nothing to worry about.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Honey, X-Mas Cake, Dried Fruits (Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Dates), Dark Red Berries, Toasted Nuts, Grass & Straw, Dusty Oak, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Cloves and Mint/Menthol.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Marzipan, Wax, Stewed Apples, Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit), Tobacco, Leather, Dusty Earth, Brandy, Raw Meat, Wet Rocks, Dried Herbs, Milk, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Palate:

The Palate follows the Nose. However, the Oak and the Spices come to the play at this point. I also get light hints of a Petrol station and Sulfur but nothing to get worried about. The Palate is a reasonably balanced mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. 

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Toasted Cereals, Toasted Nuts, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Plums, Raisins, Dates and Sultanas, Dark Berries, X-Mas Cake, Orange-Flavored Bitter Chocolate, Grass and Straw, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Licorice and Menthol.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Butterscotch, Wax, Herbal Tea, Lemon, Grapefruit, Tobacco, Leather, Milk, Stewed Apple, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon.  

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitter and Sour notes towards the Dry end. Oak and Spices really take control at this point. I also find Sweet Barley, Toasted Cereals, Toasted Nuts, Dark Honey, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums and Sultanas, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate, Dark Berries, Grapefruit, Lemon, Stewed Apples, Grass and Straw, Wax, Dusty Track, Tobacco, Leather, Wet Rocks, Coconut, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice and Menthol.   

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and that makes this Glenburgie more accessible. You will lose some depth though. As is the case most of the times I prefer it neat. But you can certainly play with a little Water.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience:

Good

Conclusion:

The Glenburgie distillery was founded in 1810 by William Paul, initially under the name Kilnflat, It closed in 1870 & reopened as Glenburgie in 1878. Since 2005 the distillery is owned by Chivas Regal (Pernod Ricard). Glenburgie is one of the three main Malt components of the Ballantine's Blend. The other two being Miltonduff & Glentauchers. The core range merely consists of the 12, 15 and 18 year old. Production amounts to around 4.2 litres per year.

I'm a great fan of Gordon & McPhail in general but in this case they should have bottled cask # 14142 3-5 years earlier in my opinion. As presented Oak and Spice become too dominant on the Palate and in the Finish. There's still enough to enjoy though and I did spend a nice two hours with this Glenburgie. Of course a Single Malt of this age can't be cheap but at current prices the P/Q ratio of this Malt does not look great. It was nice to taste a sample though!

Cheers, Jan 🥃                                                                         March 27, 2025

Auchroisk 8 (Brachadair)

“Only the Strong Survive” 

Whisky Review # 1054

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Auchroisk - Distilled in 2010

Bottled by: Brachadair in 2019

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # 79

Age: 8 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.7% - Cask Strength
Maturation: First-Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask 
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 90 (January 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay  

Buying Advice: 😔 Probably a bridge too far for many. Try a sample first!

Color:

Deep Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

The Alcohol is quite strong so please avoid sticking your nose in the middle of the glass. The Nose is Sweet, Dry and a little Dirty and there's a slight impression of Baby Vomit at first. Fortunately this disappears after air contact. The Youth of this Auchroisk is noticeable in a slightly Rough way. It's interesting though with hints of Ledaig, Jura and the JW Blended range.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Butter Biscuits, Caramel, Dried Fruits like Sultanas, Apricots, Raisins, Plums and Dates, Mixed Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Sherry, Mint, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.       

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Dark Red Berries & Cherries, Floral Perfume, Salted Meat or Beef Broth, Cigar Box, Leather, Tobacco, Orange, Peach and a hint of Espresso.    

 

Palate:

The Alcohol is quite strong and attacks your throat in a rather Sharp and Dirty but not really unpleasant way. This Auchroisk really needs Water though. The Palate is mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter tones for balance. The cask influence is very strong.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Barley, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots, Sultanas & Figs, Dark Red Berries & Cherries, Mixed Salted Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Menthol.        

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Dark Honey, Vanilla, Orange, Yeast, Slivovitz, Molasses, Leather, Tobacco, Floral Perfume, Beef Broth, Licorice and strong Espresso.  

Finish:

Quite Long. This one definitively needs a little Water. The Alcohol really burns in your throat. Bitter-Sweet & very Dry. Strong cask influence. I find Toasted Barley, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Figs, Plums and Apricots, Dark Red Berries and Cherries, Caramel, Dusty Oak, Mixed Nuts & Nutshells, Dark Chocolate, Leather, Tobacco, Honey, Orange, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Menthol, Licorice, Metal and Strong Espresso.  

Drinking Advice:

I added quite a lot of Water to this Auchroisk. In fact probably a record quantity of 4 tea spoons. It's still quite noticeable on the Nose though. It is a relatively Young Malt after all. The Palate becomes almost "palatable". The overall profile does not change a lot although it becomes a bit more Malty and quite Spicy. You should try it out both ways but it's more enjoyable after adding Water.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Young and Strong but Interesting.

Conclusion:

Auchroisk was founded in 1972 by Justerini & Brooks and became part of Diageo in 1997. The annual production arounds to 5.8 million litres. Almost all of it goes into the Diageo blends. The only official bottling is the 10 Year old Flora & Fauna.

Brachadair is a family-based Belgian independent bottler. Patrick Vanderlinden and his nephews Cedric and Alexander run the business.

This Auchroisk is not for the faint of heart. The combination of a relatively Young Single Malt and a very high ABV might be too much for many. Even with a lot of added Water the general feeling of Young, Strong, Dirty and Sharp remains. IMO the ABV is too high and a 2nd Fill cask would probably have been a better choice for this young Auchroisk. Still it's way more interesting than today's Mainstream Malt Madness and that helps in my final score. I would not buy a full bottle but I enjoyed tasting the sample.

Cheers 🥃 

Jan                                                                                       January 19, 2025  

                                                                                             

Linkwood 1997 (Brachadair)

“Raspberry Beret” 

Whisky Review # 1039

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Linkwood 1997

Bottled By: Brachadair, Belgium in October 2016 - 120 Bottles - Cask # 10646

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky

Age: 19 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 52.6% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Hogshead

Chill Filtration: No 

Price Average: US$ 140 (Oktober 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good

Buying Advice: 👍 Very Fruity Bourbon-Matured Speyside Malt

Color:

Pale White Wine/Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please give this Linkwood some time in the glass before nosing and avoid to nose in the middle of your glass. The Nose is quite Fruity and not very Oaky leading me to the conclusion that Cask # 10646 was not a very active one. Besides Fruit you will also find quite a few Malty, Yeasty and Grassy notes. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Yeast, Grass and Straw, Banana Ice-Cream, Green Apple, Pear, Strawberry-Flavored Yogurt, Fruit Flavored Candies like Peach, Lemon, Melon and Pineapple, Cinnamon and Ginger.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Bread, Dough, Caramel, Sugared Almonds, Nougat, Marzipan, Dusty Oak, Earth, Fresh Herbs, Orange, Raspberry, Mint and light Licorice.    

Palate:

Oily, Waxy, quite Fruity and Bitter-Sweet-Sour. The Alcohol remains noticeable but other than that it's quite agreeable.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Wax, Vanilla, Sugared Almonds,  Grass & Straw, Strawberry and Raspberry flavored Yogurt, Fruit Flavored Candies (Lemon, Melon, Pineapple, Green Apple, Orange), Cinnamon, Pepper and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Caramel, Papaya Cream, Bounty Bars, Butter, Floral Soap, Dusty Oak, Ginger, Cloves, Menthol, Aniseed, Cardamom and Licorice.   

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and quite Fruity. Some Sour notes as well. The Alcohol bites a little bit towards the Medium Dry end. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Grass & Straw, Wax, Fruit-Flavored Candies (Melon, Green Apple, Lemon & Orange), Limoncello, Strawberry-flavored Yogurt,  Floral Soap, Grapefruit Juice, Raspberry, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol, Aniseed and Licorice.  

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Linkwood although it diminishes the Heat of course. I prefer it neat though.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2) 

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is  8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

 

Conclusion:

The Linkwood distillery is located in Elgin & was founded in 1821 by Peter Brown. Their Spirit has always been an important part of many Blended Whiskies. The only official core bottling is the 12 Year old Flora and Fauna. There are many independent bottlings around like the one I am reviewing today. The average production amounts to around 4 million litres per year. Linkwood is owned by the Diageo Group.

I can understand that the Fruity distillery-character attracts the makers of Blends like Bell's, Haig and White Horse. It's a pity though that almost all of the Linkwood production is destined for these Blends. In my opinion it's authentic enough to be able to shine as a Single Malt as well, especially when paired to first class Ex-Bourbon casks. Because I do feel that the cask used for this Brachadair expression could have been a bit more active. Nevertheless I will certainly be on the look-out for other independent Linkwood Malts.

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   Oktober 31, 2024