Review #395 - Single Malts of Scotland Linkwood 14 Year
Another independently bottled single malt from Diageo's Linkwood - this one was produced by the Single Malts of Scotland brand, owned by Elixir Distillers/Specialty Brands. It's a single cask - the spirit spent its life maturing in an ex-bourbon cask, after which it was bottled at a cask strength of 55.8% ABV. As always with the SMOS brand, there's no chill filtration or added coloring.
This single cask also falls in the mid-teen age range: 14 years, to be exact. In our experience, that's a bit of a sweet spot for this distillery's spirit.
Single Malts of Scotland Linkwood 14 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 149 (2024)
Age Statement: 14 Years
Strength: 55.8% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; cask 314173, distilled October 29, 2009; bottled December 14, 2023; 242 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle at 90% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Honey and wax, leaning a bit sweet. There's a softer, floral side to this, even freshly laundered linen; vanilla adds more baking notes, and there's a soft fizz or effervescence.
Palate: The mouthfeel is medium; soft hay and dried grasses start a light complexion, which contains white pepper, lemongrass, floral notes, and some malty tones. That malt expands into oats or oatmeal, and then the waxy character from the nose returns.
Finish: Softer and refined, a classic ex-bourbon Speyside whisky. Light honey and vanilla add sweet flavors, while there's a bit of a dry oak prickle on the back end. Malt continues from the palate - nice sweet grain notes.
Final Note: A nice example of Linkwood distillery - no crazy casks, just a solid ex-bourbon single malt at a good strength. The floral and sometimes grassy character of this distillery is really put on display in this bottling; still, it's balanced by subtle sweet baking notes, and the waxy character of the nose was a treat.
Value is just okay, though - this is a bit expensive for its age statement, as these Single Malts of Scotland bottlings can sometimes be in our area. Good whisky with good presentation, but a little straightforward for the price point.
Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 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: 5.28
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Linkwood reviews:
Review #222 - Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks Linkwood 13 Year
Review #65 - SMWS 39.217 'Crunchy and Homely' - Linkwood 8 Year
