Review #10: Alexander Murray & Co Linkwood 19 Year Cask Strength (1997)

Distillery: Linkwood

Region: Speyside

ABV: 53.8%

Age: 19

Price: $120

Color: Color: 0.9 Amontillado Sherry

Nose (according to the wife): Lots of fresh wood and vanilla. Dries the nose out quite a bit.

Palate: Extremely smooth and creamy with loads of sherry and vanilla. Lots of fruit in this one and perhaps a hint of freshly cut grasss. With some water, you get a lot of green apple in the forefront, some citrus hiding in the background, and some other fruit I can’t quite put my finger on. Absolutely wonderful.

Finish: The finish here is crazy long. It starts a little bit oily with some spice and gives way to a creamy vanilla aftertaste. You get the lovely warmth spreading through your throat and chest. You get a lot of what seems to be fresh wood in here as well.

Conclusion: Absolutely fantastic. The palate is so delicious with layers of fruit and vanilla. The finish is phenomenal with a lovely creaminess that makes you want another sip. This is the second Linkwood expression I’ve had and I’ve loved both so far. If you’re into sherried whiskies, this one will really make you smile. I wish the spiciness would’ve been toned down a bit because it distracts a bit from the palate, but it’s nothing a little bit of water can’t fix.

Final Score: 90

Scotch whisky review #10, Speyside review #5, Whisky Network Review #11

Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection.
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.

Originally reviewed Mar. 26, 2018.