Linkwood 13-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Single Cask)
LINKWOOD single malt Scotch whisky
13 years old
Cask strength
57.1% alc/vol
1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead
Château Margaux finish
Filled: 16/03/2009
Bottled: 14/08/2022
Near Bordeaux, on the left bank of the Gironde, lies the vast Château Margaux estate. Its vineyards – one of only a few to be designated ‘premier cru’ by Napoleon III – are generally considered to be the gold standard. The crème de la crème of terroirs. So, when someone offers you a fresh Château Margaux barrel to play around with, you bite their hand off, fill it with a nice, waxy Linkwood and let it rest for 5 months – just enough time to add some tannic structure, and slowly bake those biscuity notes into full-blown strawberry shortcake.
**ONLY 288 BOTTLES**
COLOUR
Natural, rose gold
NOSE
Darjeeling, berry compote
PALATE
Strawberry shortcake, rooibos, malted milkshake
FINISH
Beeswax, damson
Single malt Scotch whisky must be distilled at a single distillery in Scotland, in a copper pot still, from a wash containing only malted barley, yeast and water. It must then be matured in oak – in Scotland – for no less than 3 years and bottled at 40% alc/vol minimum.
The term ‘single cask’ is used to define whisky that has been bottled exclusively from one individual cask – and since no two single casks are the same, all whiskies labelled ‘single cask’ are unique, rare and limited.
Casks are typically filled around 62-63.5% alc/vol, although this drops during maturation as spirit evaporates (known as the “angel’s share”). For typical single malt whiskies, when a cask is finally deemed ready – and ‘disgorged’ or emptied – it’s blended with other casks of the same specification and age, and brought down to a standard bottling strength with water (usually 40-46% alc/vol). ‘Cask strength’ whiskies, on the other hand, are bottled at the strength they’re drawn from cask, with nothing added or taken away. Since they tend to be much stronger than your average whisky, pour a smaller-than-normal dram into a tulip-shaped nosing glass, like the Glencairn, and have a little jug of water handy to dose in. Be careful not to over dilute the whisky though – instead, add a drop of water at a time and slowly take in the subtle changes to the flavour and aroma as it opens up. Then, once you find your sweet spot, and the ideal strength to your taste, sit back and enjoy.
Volume: 700ml (or 750ml in the US)
Strength: 57.1% ABV (cask strength)
Bottle: Custom-moulded amber glass with tapered sides
Closure: Custom debossed synthetic stopper
Capsule: Black PVC