Linkwood SMWS 39.80

Time for some old Linkwood from the 80's. A 27yo whisky from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society dubbed "Comforting warmth and sweet security"

Description: golden hay in colour, with nice long legs and bottled at 54.4% ABV.

Nose: notes of hay at first glance, some sunflower oil, a touch of butter and pineapple juice. The nose dulls down, to more grassy,dusty and less fruity notes of dark chocolate, orange peel and leather (with water added: the first fruitier nose makes a successful reappearance and some lighter vanilla notes emerge as well

Mouth: a light and dry body with an unexpectedly fierce alcoholic attack on the palate, laying waste to all other flavours. Rough grind dark pepper, like someone holding a pepper grinder over your tongue. (with water added: saltier on the palate but even dry, and more floral in style)

Finish: medium long and drying (up to the point that you actually would like a glass of water, to clean your dry throat) with sharp peppery notes and soft tangerine. (with water added: the sharp peppery notes stay, but the tangerine is enhanced)

Verdict: a dry austere style of which I can't say I'm overly fond. I hate it when I have to give a mediocre score to a dram that is obviously well fabricated. The nose was beautiful, but the palate was failed to deliver what I was looking for. An 84 good nose, not my type of palate

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