Review #222 - Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks Linkwood 13 Year
These Reserve Cask bottlings from the Single Malts of Scotland (SMOS) are small batches of casks - this batch was 3 barrels in total, all of the ex-bourbon variety. A brand owned by Elixir Distillers, SMOS supposedly takes the best casks that Elixir can find, which are then often bottled as single casks, but occasionally as batch releases like this one.
Owned by Diageo, the Linkwood distillery, from Speyside, is hard to find in OB form; most of the time, you have to search for bottles from independent bottlers. Luckily, it isn't too rare, which we're quite glad about - it's shooting up our list of favorite distilleries in the past year. Not a peaty malt, this should give us some nice fruity and malty notes, and it's at that classic teen age point that can be perfect for some single malts.
Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks Linkwood 13 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 120 (2024)
Age Statement: 13 Years
Strength: 48% ABV
Cask Makeup: 3 ex-bourbon casks
Details: 2008 vintage, bottled in 2021; parcel no.1
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months; bottles at 90%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Waxy, beeswax, honey, and vanilla - a classic ex-bourbon nose. Some spices like cardamom, a bit of a floral or perfumed side, and juicy fruit - strawberry bubblegum. Oak is soft and sweet, and with time, there's more heather, honeycomb, and brown sugar.
Palate: Medium-thick mouthfeel, oily and waxy, a really nice texture - creamy and some honey, too. Bright fruits of lemon, peach candies, and mango, and there's spice like cardamom, nutmeg, and a hint of cinnamon. Generally on the sweeter side... cane sugar and honeycomb arrive, and there's a hint of peppery oak in the background.
Finish: Lots of honey and honeycomb, and plenty of baking notes: cinnamon, sweet vanilla, brown sugar, and starch. Soft floral notes and more waxy character combine to add an elegant element, and we have an aftertaste of dry peach.
Final Note: Classic - this is just a well-executed example of an unpeated ex-bourbon single malt Scotch. It has a beautiful creamy mouthfeel, more than you'd expect for a 48% ABV whisky, and the combination of tropical fruits and pleasant baking spices creates a juicy yet elegant experience. Great waxy notes here, something that modern distillate from Diageo stablemate Clynelish can only dream of at this point.
Not a cheap whisky, at least in our area, but value is alright - we really enjoyed this bottle a lot, and it can be worth paying for the quality.
Our Average Rating: 8.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.49
Check out our other Linkwood reviews:
Review #65 - SMWS 39.217 'Crunchy and Homely' - Linkwood 8 Year
