Linkwood 23 Years Old Rare Malts Selection 58.4% 1972

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Serge Valentin (91)

Saying that UDV/Diageo’s Rare Malts have been totally instrumental to many a whisky lover’s journey would be an understatement. These bottles are gold, and ‘they’ should do them again. All substance, no BS, no stories. Please, please! Now, not all of them have been perfect, some were rather pure rocket fuel, but that was part of their many charms. Let’s see… Colour: gold. Nose: hell! Wait, 1972, a vintage that rings a bell… Wasn’t 1972 Scotch whisky’s 1959? Amazing sharpy yet honeyed arrival, rather more floral than all the others, with notes of roses (yeah!), apples, beeswax (yeah!), pastries, and simply blood oranges. Also love these discreet metallic touches… Old penny book? Grandma’s copper kettle? With water: pretty amazing earthy development, on autumn leaves, tobacco and paraffin. Dried rose petals – which is very Old Linkwood. Mouth (neat): punches you, with more copper, then apples, then roasted herbs (thyme?), then pepper… Indeed, it’s becoming very peppery. With water: there, we tamed it! Becomes magnificent, on honey, lemon, and beeswax. You can’t beat this. Finish: sadly, but lemons seized control. Comments: all those very first Rare Malts were very powerful, and this is no exception. Some kind of statement, I suppose. Like, distillate first? We. Need. Them. Back.