Whisky : Linkwood 10 Year, Lady of the Glen

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 57.8%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon (8Y), Marsala Barrique (2Y)

Age : 10 Year (Distilled 11 Jan. 2011, Bottled 15 Jan. 2021)

Nose :  Milk duds, popcorn, and tropical fruits.  Initially there was a wave of popcorn, melted candies, furikake seasoning, and malted milk balls— the ultimate movie marathon snack pack.  The wife picked out more dry rich spice with chipotle, dried ancho chilies, back beans, and dark chocolate.  More time to breath brought out dried tropical fruits and shave ice syrups.

Palate : Thick and juicy with sweet melted candies, Turkish delight, and then a trip through the looking glass into an oasis of tropical fruit.  Vanilla bean pods and butterfinger malted milkshakes gave way to dragonfruit and lychee.  On the back end were notes of chocolate covered tropical fruits: bananas, oranges, and pineapples.

Finish :  Lingering sweet tropical fruits.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Alice in Wonderland

Notes : This was a wild one that provoked a range of different reactions.  I thought this had an absolute bananas transition from melted candies and popcorn into juicy tropical fruit.  It was almost like sitting in a slightly dingy movie theater with a bucket of expensive snacks and then waking up to a lagoon-side tropical fruit buffet.  Another friend described it as a bit funky with some slightly sulfurous or lactic notes coming off of the cask.  The wife did not pick up any funk, but enjoyed the thickness and rich fruit profile, though she described it as less tropical and more honey-apple-butter.  I have certainly had funky marsala casks and marsala casks have not typically been one of my favorites, but this was absolutely delightful.  

Overall this was a thick, juicy, and interesting Linkwood.  It is true that I do sometimes go for funkier stranger malts, but I think this one was as good as it was interesting.  I found myself quickly refilling my glencairn after finishing a dram so the wild ride could continue a bit longer.