2011 Linkwood 9 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single Refill Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

I'm a big believer that not every drinker wants a big sherry or peat monster every time they sit down. I've made it a point to select lighter, fresher malts each year, that will offer some nuance and complexity, but not knock people out completely. Now this one falls perfectly into that category - save for the 125.2 proof! Linkwood is such a great distillery and it's always fun to see it at various ages, since we only have access to it via blends in this country. Immediately out of the bottle, this one has a wonderful freshness. Fresh cereal grains, hints of lemon, brioche, some herbal/green tea aromas. The palate, of course at this high proof, is punchy but full of vibrant crystal malt, sweet barley syrup, lemon zest, mineral driven and structured. Cutting it down with water to just below 100 proof and we've achieved a whole different level. Now a gorgeous bouquet of yellow flowers, fresh white currants and quince. The mineral quality has taken over on the nose in the best way possible, reminding me of some fabulous Alsatian Riesling. The palate is rich and warming, with tons of sweet grains and a very weighty texture, slight tinge of salt on the finish. I LOVE when a whisky gets richer WITH water. This is another one of these that anybody who refuses to ADD water to their whisky should absolutely avoid, but if you're not the type to refuse to participate a bit in its development in glass you will end up loving this incredible high quality, utterly refreshing zesty little malt.

This is a nice easy drinking single malt. Every Linkwood that I have had has been user friendly. The nose has nice fruit aromas with subtle wax undertones. In the mouth it is round, soft, pretty and mouth coating. I tried this with a splash of water.

Great young malt is like young love. It's pure, simple, clean and utterly enjoyable. And so it is with this lovely 9 year old Linkwood. The bright and zippy notes of mint and crisp apples mesh wonderfully with brioche pie crust and decadent malt. There is a distinct tang, like a burst of citrus that brings a lively characteristic to the salty and sweet notes of vanilla, honey, and warm salted caramel straight from the pan. While it's not the world's deepest and most complex malt, it sure is one of the most affordable 9 year old Linkwood's you'll see in 2020 and beyond and will provide 750mls worth of pure fun and easy drinking pleasure.