Linkwood 22yo 1995/2018 (48.8%, Cadenhead Small Batch, 2 x Bourbon Hogsheads, 456b): nose: rather shy -- is the sample tired, perhaps? Celery? Warm sand? Ground green pepper, at a push? Am I smelling my minestrone, on the hob? I am really struggling to get anything out of this. After a couple of minutes, my impression of heat is confirmed -- warm earth, maybe, instead of sand. A sip or two in, the nose starts to develop at last -- fresh notes, Mediterranean-cuisine style: cucumber, courgette, lime; none of those are in my minestrone, so we are safe. Mouth: ah! Something is happening, here. A drop of lime juice on a fresh leaf salad, and a piece of chocolate next to it. It is acidic and gently herbaceous, though it does carry a certain sweetness as well. Cellophane appears in the middle of the tongue, yet the dominant are bitter-fresh notes of lime, lime zest and cucumber peels. Finish: warm milk chocolate, lime peels, fresh spinach (what!?), pomelo segments. The sweet turns into salty, and it becomes remarkably close to a margarita, fresh and salty. Salted-caramel coulis on a lime drizzle is the final, lasting impression. This is unusual and pretty good. It would beat a gin & tonic any day, and works a treat, in this humid heat we have been having, lately. 7/10 (
Thanks for the sample, SW)
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