Linkwood 1946 Gordon & MacPhail 40%

The nose is full of juicy sultanas and sherry. Hints of wood shavings and pine oil with feinty notes of rubber and leather and a touch of cereal sweetness. The palate is quite full and very smooth with lots of fruit. The oak shines with chewy tannins and a touch of dark nuttiness with mixed peels. The finish is quite long and fruity with a good oak.

Linkwood in the Speyside whisky region is located on the southern outskirts of the town of Elgin. The distillery dates back to 1821 when founded by Peter Brown. Fifty years later his son William knocked down the original distillery and reconstructed the buildings. After an expansion in 2013 to include two more stills the capacity is now 5.6 million litres of alcohol. Production has fluctuated between 3.6 million litres and its full capacity in the last few years.

Current owners Diageo use much of the whisky produced for blending and there is just one official core bottling the Flora & Fauna 12 year old. The new make spirit running from the six stills is crafted to be fruity, floral and grassy. Not only a hit with the blenders Linkwood is also popular with many different independent bottlers. These independent bottler releases showcase Linkwood single malt to be elegant with a great depth of character