Linkwood 14 Year Old 1989 Blackadder Raw Cask

Blackadder – brainchild of the always crackin’ jokes Robin Tucek – are mostly known for their Raw Cask bottlings, in which some cask residue can be found, giving the malts an air of authenticity. This Linkwood 1989 spent more than 15 years in the bottle already, but that will not stop me! A beautiful color and robust ABV are probably the prelude to quite a party.

Ooh, dark and sweet but at the same time very herbal nose that immediately puts a smile on my face. Raisins, krieks, gooseberries, but also nettles, ferns and hay. The second whiff, however, makes for a special treat on balsamic and cola. Sirop de Liège and plum tart with a lovely waxy quality like tiger balm. Delicious.

Strangely enough the arrival is quite light, almost watery. But it does what it should on the taste buds with a lovely spiciness of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, joined by some dark fruit like raisins, figs and dades. Mostly the latter. The balsamic vinegar returns. So does the cola, but now in the guise of the famous gummi candy. Midpalate it turns a bit dry, but not disturbingly so. Water is absolutely unnecessary. This one is very soft and easily quaffable.

The finish is very long, dry and spicy and highlights the herbal side of this malt once more.

Fantastic Linkwood, but unfortunately very hard to find these days.

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