Whisky: Linkwood 19 Year (1997), Alexander Murray

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 53.8%

Cask: Refill Bourbon Hogsheads

Age: 19 Year (Distilled 1997, Bottled 2017)

Nose: Citrus, cereal, and floral. The essence of an early summer day— sunshine in May with citrusy orange slices during a soccer halftime and tangerine cream sodas afterward. Mango smoothies joined with subtle notes of zinc sunscreen, melon rind, and oatmeal cookies.

Palate: Medium-bodied, verging on effervescent, with notes of citrus, cereal, and minerals. Sweet early summer notions of green fresh-cut grass, oatmeal cookies, and citrusy sangria with slices of orange, lemon, and lime. Subtle notes of minerals— slate, gravel, and zinc— or pool decks, unimproved roads, and sunscreen brought to mind summer in the countryside—hints of strawberry, balsamic, and walnut at the end.

Finish:  Lingering notes of fruit and summer.

Score: 6

Mental Image: Sunshine in May

Notes: When I first tried this as a blind sample, I was struck by how bright and summery it was. It was citrusy and sweet with a lovely mineral-metallic undercurrent. It reminded me of an Arran or even a slightly less waxy Clynelish. I was surprised to discover it was a Linkwood! Though as soon as the reveal was made, I immediately realized just how much it reminded me of a single cask that Douglas Laing did for K&L last year. I thought that young Linkwood was brimming with similar bright, citrusy flavors. As you would expect on something that spent another decade in the cask, this had a good deal more depth, but it was just as lively.

If I were to create a subcategory of “summer-time drams” to go along with my unofficial bath time and autumnal categories, Linkwood would be one of the headliners. This screamed summer and reminded me of everything from neon zinc sunscreens to gravel roads and swimming pools. Somewhere among the notes were impressions of lemonade and strawberries in the countryside— or grassy green soccer fields and halftime orange slices. That last note was especially prominent on my palate, and I wondered how widely shared that impressions could be— I cannot be the only one who strongly remembers late spring/early summer soccer games and orange slices.