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KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar Blog Day 25 - G&M Linkwood 25

Posted on December 25, 2023

by Evan

We made it folks! If you went in order on the 2023 KWM Whisky Calendar, this is the final dram in the kit. If you are following along in December and it is the 25th, then Merry Christmas!

As is tradition: here is my personal top 5 list from this year’s calendar:

5 – Maligne Lake Tekarra from Day 16

4 – Bowmore 18 Year Old from Day 23

3 – Compass Box Orchard House from Day 6

2 – Arran 2013 KWM Cask from Day 9

1 – SMOS Speyside 25-Year-Old from Day 19

This was a tough list to make,  The Malinge Lake just edged out the Boutique-y Teaniich from Day 2 for me thanks to its surprising flavour and the excitement of tasting something completely new. Old Forester 1920 would slide in just behind that. I could go and list my other favourites, but I would rather hear what you have to say. Let me know what your faves are, and your least favourites and why for that matter, if we have the opportunity to chat in person or via email!

Now, let's check out our final dram from the 2023 Whisky Calendar!

For the first time in quite a few years, we are not ending the KWM Whisky Calendar with an SMWS bottle. Instead, we had that yesterday for Christmas Eve. This year, our dram is the Gordon & MacPhail Distillery Label Linkwood 25-Year-Old.

Linkwood Distillery’s single malt whisky production is used mostly in blends and does not have much in the way of official releases. Sound familiar? We talked about Dailuaine Distillery from Day 22 in the same manner. And Strathmill Distillery on Day 13. Same with Teaninich Distillery, which we covered back on Day Two. Also, Benrinnes Distillery, from the SMWS bottle we tasted yesterday.

What do those four distilleries have in common with Linkwood Distillery? They all have the same owner, of course! Diageo is the company behind this travesty, hiding the Single Malt Scotch of these four distilleries from our noses and palates. HOW DARE THEY!

Diageo, of course, has their reasons for this. Whether we agree with them or not. All four distilleries pay key roles in the Blended Scotch that Diageo produces. Linkwood features prominently in the Johnnie Walker range as well as the company’s White Horse blend. It isn’t just Diageo hoarding it for blends either – Linkwood is prized by blenders in general thanks to its light, delicate, floral, grassy, and orchard fruit driven style.

Linkwood Distillery was founded in 1821. In 1872 the distillery was completely rebuilt, and nearly a century later in 1971 a second distillery was buil alongside the first. The second distillery was dubbed Linkwood B. In 1985, the old Linkwood A was closed, leaving Linkwood B to be the primary Linkwood Distillery. The older Linkwood A was used for production for a few months each year between 1990 and 1996, but fell completely silent after that and was demolished in 2012.

G&M Distillery Label Linkwood 25-Year-Old – 46%

Evan’s Tasting Note

Nose: Rich and savoury with plenty of sherry influence. Christmas cake, Dates wrapped in prosciutto, fruit leather, Ginger beef, raisins, cherry pipe tobacco, furniture polish, carrot cake, and toffee-coated almonds.

Palate: Maple Nut flavoured Oatmeal Crisp cereal, pear pie, apple crisp with graham crumble and brown sugar on top, almonds, hazelnuts, honey, and a touch of molasses.

Finish: Syrupy and sweet with a touch of oak spice on the long, long finish.

Comment: Such a big and rich dram. A perfect bottle to end a whisky calendar with perhaps?

Thank you all for joining us on this journey. We at KWM hope that you had fun exploring these 25 days of Dram Fine Whisky and found some new favourite bottles and styles along the way! We wish you a happy and safe holiday - hopefully, spent with your friends and loved ones and a good whisky or three along the way!

Cheers,
Evan
evan@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Facebook & Instagram: @sagelikefool

You can find all blog posts for Kensington Wine Market’s 2023 Whisky Calendar Here

This entry was posted in Whisky, Whisky Calendars, Independent Bottler, KWM Whisky Calendar 2023

 

 

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