Whisky: Linkwood 15 Year (1993), James MacArthur Cask 1609

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 59.2%

Cask: Oak

Age: 15 Years (Distilled 1993, Bottled 2008)

Nose: Grassy and citrusy with honey, green apple, orchard fruits, herbal tea and malty pastries.

Palate: Medium-bodied, slightly creamy, citrusy with orchard fruits and herbal spice, grassy, woody with honey and herbal tea; peppery toward the end.

Finish: Medium-length and spirited with pepper, malty pastries, and white chocolate.

Score: 5-6 (76)

Mental Image: Idyllic Allergy-free Meadows

Narrative & Notes: Citrusy lemon and honeycomb tumbled onto a picnic blanket beside green apples and orchard fruits. Green summer grass with hints of wildflowers in a meadow delighted, minus the allergies of course, alongside herbal tea and malty biscuits— a country picnic?  Medium-bodied with an understated creaminess carrying lemons and green apples with a touch of fennel and herbal spice. Dried grass and sawdust arrived for a tea break as the herbal notes led to a well-honeyed mug of tea.  Peppery and spirited toward the end with mellow biscuits and white chocolate which lingered onto a medium finish.

Youthful and simple, this was a delightfully summery Linkwood with fresh citrus and plenty of herbal and grassy notes.  The flavors were generally coherent and well-balanced, though the whisky was peppery and spirited toward the end, a quality that carried through on the finish as well.  It reminded me a good bit of the Arran 10; a touch austere at times and well-suited to enjoy on the rocks, especially during the summer heat.

Overall, enjoyable if not memorable.