Single Cask Nation Linkwood 2009 12 Year Old Finished in Ruby Port Casks
Linkwood fascinates me. I’ve had maybe three or four pours from them now, all single barrels, and all have been wildly different, with a single note connecting them all.
The first was Deer, Bear, and Moose Linkwood 27 Year Old 1992, a single barrel picked by Flaviar’s independent bottling arm and my first-ever post on this site. At barrel strength, it was amazingly light in color and profile, oily and viscous without being coating. It was bright and acidic, not at all over-oaked.
The second was Linkwood 15 Year Old, a pick from Gordon & MacPhail bottled at 86 proof. This was more typically highland-style, whereas the previous one was almost Orkney-like. Connecting the two is a note clear as day: a bright, white wine character that tasted like an oaky, super-aged Chardonnay minus most of the tannins. Oddly, though younger by twelve years and at a lower proof, this was far more tannic than the Dear, Bear, and Moose pick.
My most recent visit to Linkwood is through this, another single barrel at cask strength, this time chosen by Single Cask Nation. Aged for 12 years then finished for another year in ruby port casks, this bottle is another branch of the Linkwood tree - connected to the others through the bracing acidity and brightness, but clearly defined as its own entity.
The first thing I noticed was the color, to which the picture at left does not do justice. In a glencairn, the dram is a beautiful, blushed rosé. Knowing how pale the 27-year-old pick had been, it’s not surprising how a year in ruby port added a shade rather than a full coloring. This is citrus-forward all the way, sweet and sour and bitter, with just enough red fruit to make the port cask known.
Linkwood itself is a fascinating distillery. First built in 1821 in Speyside, the distillery has been rebuilt and expanded multiple times, only being mothballed by World War II and a second time from 1985-1990. From a mere 4,500 liters per year, the distillery has grown to the 200,000s to nearly 500,000 before World War II’s stoppage. Reopened after the war’s end, Linkwood was again refurbished in 1962 under the ownership of Scottish Malt Distillers, which then added what was effectively a sister distillery in 1971 that became known as Linkwood B.
Now owned by Diageo, the Linkwood twins now produce nearly 3.5 million liters per year, putting it in the same company as Laphroaig, Glenallachie, Aberlour, Mortlach, and Macduff. Despite its size, very few bottlings are produced, with the overwhelming majority of its volume going into other Diageo-owned blends such as Bell’s, Haig, and Johnnie Walker. The rare single malts are put out under the Linkwood Flora and Fauna and Rare Malts ranges. Other than that, independent bottlers are the only source for single malts from Linkwood. For example, in 2018, Gordon and MacPhail put out a 60-year-old Linkwood single malt, an insanely old whisky that went relatively under the radar simply because Linkwood isn’t a “big name” single malt producer.
That’s truly a shame, because as much as I find many Speyside whiskies to blend together - pun intended - Linkwood has a clear and consistent backbone of aged white wine and bright citrus. For those looking to move from wine to whisky, this might be one of the best and most overlooked stepping stones. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy my Linkwoods and happily share with those who want to experience something a little different.
*Thank you to ImpEx for providing a sample for this review with no strings attached.
Single Cask Nation Linkwood 2009 12 Year Old Finished in Ruby Port Casks Whisky: Specs
Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Cask Number: 33904
Origin: Linkwood Distillery
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 108.8 (54.4% ABV)
Age: 12 Years Old
Location: Scotland
Single Cask Nation Linkwood 2009 12 Year Old Finished in Ruby Port Casks Whisky Price: $115
Single Cask Nation Linkwood 2009 12 Year Old Finished in Ruby Port Casks Whisky Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Rosé to pastel orange. Thin, bleeding rims and blob hang-on droplets.
Nose: Subtle - some sweet fruit is there, no proof heat, and a light maltiness. A well-made Bellini. Pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon, a bit tart but mostly sweet citrus.
Palate: Stronger than the nose and much sweeter. The port comes through almost immediately, with dark fruit and chocolate truffles. Malty undertone that supports the pour but remains in the background. A bit of sour cherry. Mouthfeel is tingly and velvety, turning from a sweeter Bellini to a tarter Mimosa. Proof opens up behind candied citrus and dried papaya/guava.
Finish: Medium-length, bitter citrus pith develops to counter the sweetness in the rear palate. Subtle, but tasty.
Overall: Tastes how it looks - summery, gentle, graceful even, with elegance and subtlety. I don’t know if I’d enjoy a full bottle, but this is an exercise in subtle flavors and sweet citrus.
Final Rating: 7.3
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Has promise
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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