Review by: The Muskox
This whisky was part of a tasting of the SMWS’s 2024 Festival Releases at the famous Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, DC, alongside fellow Malt Runner rye_am_legend!
Distillery: Linkwood.
Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Region: Speyside.
ABV: 58.4%. Cask strength.
Age: 15 years. Distilled June 2008. Bottled in 2024.
Cask type: Matured in a combination of first-fill and refill bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry hogsheads, and PX sherry hogsheads.
Price: $180 USD from the SMWS.
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Fruity. rye_am_legend nosed this and immediately said “strawberry picking!” And he’s right, there’s the smell of sweet sun-warmed strawberries mixed with fresh wet earth and grass. Sweet vermouth and cherry cordial chocolates.
Palate: Medium-thick texture, a little bit hot. Arrives sweet, with cherry liqueur, chocolate-chip banana bread, and more of that sweet vermouth. Develops to moderate oak, wet soil, and toasted marshmallows.
Finish: Medium-length. S’mores, strawberries, and citrus.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Pick-your-own glencairn”
Conclusion: This one was impressive – usually Linkwood just gets smothered when it’s matured in big flavourful casks. That’s still sort of the case here, but the result is tasty all the same. Maybe those bittersweet earthy notes are from the spirit. I hope so – they really add to the dram and help balance those big strawberry flavours. Nice one.
Final Score: 84.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 