Linkwood 22 Year Old 1996 Signatory Cask Strength Collection

The Cask Strength Collection from Signatory looks great, even though the decanters are pretty unhandy to pour from. But the contents almost never disappoints. Today I will try a 22 Year Old Linkwood from 1996 at cask strength. Well, doh! It would be in the wrong bottle otherwise, eh? Sorry, got distracted for a moment. It’s a vatting of two hogsheads that yielded a little over 500 bottles.

Fan-tas-tic nose on white fruit, vanilla, apples, pencil shavings, gooseberries and fruit tea left unattended, making it a tad astringent. But thanks to a truckload of honey, balance is achieved. This is a very good nose and makes me long for a sip. Well… what are we waiting for?

Waxy and outspoken fruity. Gooseberries, apples, hint of banana. Nicely summery and fresh, but spicy on ginger and white pepper as well. Quinine and liquorice add a bitter note, grapefruit adds a mildly sour touch. A bit drying from the second sip forward. Some more herbal notes than expected, but that only serves to give it more depth.

Long, warm, spicy, fruity, bittersweet and absolutely delicious finish.

Outstanding Linkwood. Around 150 EUR and worth every penny. Thanks, Benny, for another fantastic sample! And thanks Signatory for saving these two hogsheads from a blending fate.

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