[Quick review] Linkwood - 12 years od Fragrant Drops 58%

 

Picture courtesy of www.corkandcask.co.uk

A second review from new indie bottler Fragrant Drops. And this time it is a Linkwood 12 years old (2010/2022) fully matured in an ex-Tokaji wine barrel and bottled unchillfiltered, undiluted and uncoloured, at 58%

Distillery: Linkwood

Bottler: Fragrant Drops

Age: 12 years old

Distilled: 2010

Bottled: 2022

Cask: Ex-Tokaji barrel

Abv: 58.0%

Unchillfiltered: Yes

Natural Colour: Yes

Nb of bottles: 260

Extra: Cask #3001290

My tasting notes:

Nose: Fruity sweetness, barley sugar mixed with drying tannin. Raspberry and white chocolate, fresh oak, lemon, caramel, hints of minty chlorophyll, creamy vanilla and honeycomb. What an inviting nose!

Palate: Sweet and spicy, oaky. Quite a powerful arrival. Poached pear and vanilla, dark fruit, blackberry jam, bitter dark chocolate, black pepper & nutmeg, acacia honey and still a little hint of mint kicking around, which I very much enjoy!

Finish: Rather long, spicy & fruity. Drying oak spice, prunes, tannin, oak vanillin, strawberry jam and hints of blackcurrant. Warming and delicious!

With water: Less oak and more fruit on the nose (extra peach & orange) The arrival is more tame and the palate becomes sweeter & less spicy. More chewy caramel and honey. The finish loses fruit as well with more oak & barley sugar. I think I might prefer it without H2O.

Overall this is a delicious and very well made Linkwood. The Tokaji barrel really works wonders here and despite being a full term maturation, I feel the cask influence is well integrated within the spirit, leaving you wanting more!

Slàinte all!

Thanks again to George and Rachel for the sample.