Linkwood 1998 23yrs Cask #13808

53.3% / Tyndrum Whisky Exclusive / Refill Sherry Hogshead

Owned by the giants Diageo, Linkwood Distillery sits next to the Burn of Linkwood in Elgin, Speyside. Built in 1821, the distillery has produced whisky that has found its way into many blends but has also held its head high as an extremely impressive single malt whisky. The last single cask Linkwood I reviewed blew me away with its exquisite balance of distillate and cask influence (see the review here)

This time, Tyndrum Whisky (formally known as The Green Welly Stop), has selected and launched an exclusive single cask through independent bottling behemoths, Gordon & Macphail. The result is quite frankly brilliant. Or as a famous American politician would say "very biggly"

Appearance: Rich amber. Slow & lazy legs work their way down the inside of the glass.

Nose: Big notes of sweet bubbling brown sugar and butter rise out of the glass and fill the nose. Dried figs, coconut oil, sherry, prunes, and chopped nuts swirl around in a heady haze. It's just a big, rich, and sweet-laden rainbow of aromas, but there's a distinct note of the base distillate in there as well.

Palate: Soft, thick sweetness with a delicate & oily delivery. Aside of the deep and rich body, there's a soft woodiness with some lighter buttery caramel and chopped nut notes. Another sip reveals a fruitiness like singed, caramelised flambéed apples. Held in the mouth a little longer, and a slight sourness appears with some more nuttiness.

Finish: Very long with notes of oily caramel, caramelised fruit, and soft warming spice.

Conclusion: Best drunk slowly. It's fantastic and a perfect example of a whisky that really makes you appreciate and think about the flavours that are going on. It's also another big reminder that darker isn't always better when it comes to sherried whisky. This one is a fine example of that.

Available exclusively from Tyndrum whisky for £176 (at the time of writing) Limited to only 267 bottles.