Elevenses Linkwood 9yo
Fragrant Drops “Fairground Delights” | 50% ABV
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
A simple but enjoyable, honest malt
Contentment.
It’s the one feeling flowing through my being as I get pressed into my seat and see the lights on the runway start to become a blur outside the window. The small passenger plane starts its ascend and propels me towards Amsterdam as darkness envelops the heavens around me.
How do I even begin to sum up the past few days in Glasgow? For someone who doesn’t usually struggle to put something on paper, I’m staring at the pulsating cursor on the screen in front of me, seemingly unable to form a coherent sentence.
This is probably as good a time as any to confess that I had never attended any sort of whisky event prior to this past weekend. No tastings, no festivals, and no community gatherings. Not to mention that I had never had the chance to meet some of the absolutely brilliant Dramface team members before.
Right up until I started writing for Dramface, my whisky journey had been a solo endeavour. But then the chance to attend the Glasgow Whisky Festival presented itself to me. I eagerly jumped at the opportunity, managed to make the necessary arrangements at work, booked a flight and hotel, and settled in for the long wait until it was finally time to pack my bags and figuratively pop my proverbial whisky-festival cherry.
Now, there is no way I can hold a candle to Dougie’s latest feature drenched in rich, thoughtful prose and gorgeous photos, so please bear with me as I try to give you my brief impression of each day of this whirlwind weekend.
My festival trip began on Thursday. I met fellow writer Hughie before I had even left home soil, as he had a transfer at Schiphol Airport, coming over from Italy. Once settled in my hotel in Glasgow and after a bit of urban exploring, I had a quick bite at an Italian place - of which the chef had never heard of the word vegetable before - and then set off to The Bon Accord. Upon entry I promptly bumped into our Wally as he was leaving because of totally unrelated and secret whisky reasons.
While drinking in the atmosphere of what might be the most famous whisky bar in the world with Hughie and some other community barflies, I saw a bonnet and a checkered jacket move towards the bar. So, suitably fanboying and mildly hesitant I introduced myself to Ralfy, thanked him for his guidance and continuous efforts on YouTube, and then left the good man to get on with his night. I assume he gets only fleeting moments of rest when walking around Glasgow this particular weekend.
Realising I’d have a long, whisky-fuelled weekend ahead I decided to be a smart, responsible adult (who would have thought?) and got to bed early. I don’t know if I’m the only one, but it seems that every hotel room I book is warm enough to start a herbarium with me as the prime exhibit. This one was no exception.
Friday was when things really took off. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Aqvavitae Under-the-Table Tasting, where a bustling ballroom full of enthusiasts like you and I enjoyed some of the most interesting stuff that the invited distilleries and independent bottlers had to offer. Adelphi, Glen Scotia, Cadenhead’s, Thompson Bros, Kilkerran, Ardnahoe, and Decadent Drinks all put their best foot forward and brought one after the other interesting and unique dram for us to try. The winners for me? Glen Scotia’s 7yo from a 1st fill bourbs barrel and Kilkerran’s 7yo triple distilled, peated offering. I wish I could have taken them home with me.
I finally had the chance to introduce myself to fellow Dramface writers Clyde, Charlie, Dougie, Jackie, Ainsley, Ally, Hamish, and our trusty sub-editor, before we took a cab into the city centre to share and enjoy some absolutely wonderful Indian food - five-foot dosa, anyone? With stories exchanged, drinks enjoyed, and our stomachs filled to the brim with spicy goodness, most of us turned in for the night, already excited for the drams we’d get the chance to sample tomorrow.
Saturday: festival day! I made sure to line my digestive system with a slightly-too-greasy breakfast buffet at the hotel, and together with Hughie and Fergus took a cab to the stadium. When the cabbie found out we were heading to a whisky festival he recommended Johnnie Walker Gold Label to us multiple times, because; “That’s blended and so it’s the best. Try it today maybe!” He then provided many other colourful and slightly alarming opinions on a variety of subjects that I’ll spare you.
The first half hour of the festival was a chaotic blur. Without trying to sound fragile here; the rooms were way too warm (no air-conditioning was on for a while), which combined with the swarming mass of people and the volume level of their enthusiastic discourse, had me overwhelmed and rendered me unable to get anything from the first two whiskies I tried. As people settled down a bit and the air-con was switched on, I latched onto my newly made friends and tried to take it all in while going from stand to stand.
Some standout drams for me were a fully port-matured offering from Kilkerran and a 40yo North British from Cadenhead’s. But the crown was taken by a 50yo Invergordon and a 40yo Cambus, both introduced by the down to earth, hospitable, and utterly kind folks from Fragrant Drops, more about them in a minute.
With so much gorgeous whisky to sample, three out of my four favourite drams being single grain wasn’t on my bingo card, but they were just the most beautiful, interesting, unique things. Especially that Cambus, which has been living inside my head ever since.
After another Indian food fest - elephant ear-sized naan breads and a delicious lamb biryani was my choice. Later, The Bon was the place to be for both visitors and exhibitors to get together and enjoy a dram or two… or three… or four, and wind down from a vibrant afternoon.
Whisky, stories, laughs, handshakes and hugs were shared all over the place. I’m sure that to the people I met this weekend I was sometimes a bit docile, a bit timid, maybe a little quiet. Truth is, just like Dougie I was just drinking it all in and making sure I captured every moment in my mind’s eye, without ever letting an over-consumption of whisky get in my way.
After some Sunday breakfast and strolls around Glasgow with some lovely Dramface folk it was time for me to say my goodbyes and leave for The Netherlands again.
A beautiful, delightful, heart-warming, moreish whirlwind of an experience!
Review
Linkwood 9yo, Fragrant Drops’ Elevenses Series, “Fairground Delights”, ex-bourbon hogsheads, 50% ABV
€60 (£53) & still some availability
So; about those folks from Fragrant Drops. You get the sense that they are whisky geeks in the fullest sense. Good ex-bourbon and ex-sherry playful cask offerings are provided . They embrace grain whisky as something to celebrate, with candid honesty seemingly held in high regard. Having had the pleasure to meet both Rachel and George, my impression is that they take their craft very seriously, and themselves not too much. Which is arguably exactly how it should be.
Fragrant Drops have become a reliable harbour of flavour for me, so my ears pricked up when they launched a new brand under their Keeble Cask Co. umbrella: Elevenses Whisky, creatively bottled in milk bottle-like containers adorned with simple, informative labels. They’ve positioned it as a range of no-nonsense, primarily ex-bourbon matured, easy to enjoy drams that won’t break the bank.
Since experiences were good, so far, I simply thought: “Yeah, I’ll have one.” And went with this particular one, because I’d never had a Linkwood before.
Score: 6/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A simple but enjoyable, honest malt
Nose
Granny Smith apples. Pears. Cold butter. Pastel yellows and greens (I know that’s not a flavour, but it flashes through my brain when nosing this). Orchard fruits. Toilet air freshener (in a good way). Boiled sweets. Candy floss. Mint. Strawberry flavoured yoghurt gummies.
Palate
Prickly, sour and sweet. Unripe orchard fruits. Sometimes a hint of vinegar. It’s almost comically uneventful and simple compared to the playful and promising nose. The finish comes quite rapidly. A bit tart. Happily though; some patience is needed after a generous addition of water livens it up and awakens some unripe pears - and those granny apples and boiled sweets from the nose, together with some over-brewed green tea.
The Dregs
A decent thing, this. It’s not the best whisky you’ll have this year, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a fruity, undemanding, enjoyable, fairly good value sipper. A rounded 6 out of 10. A solid purchase which I’m happy to pour on a sunny, spring or summer day. It helps that it’s presented at a slightly higher ABV of 50%, which gives you some welcome and necessary room to play with dilution in the glass.
It must be said that there hasn’t been a lot of chatter about these new offerings yet. I suppose that it’s hard to compete with the higher ABV, cheaper (at least in my market) Signatory 100º Proof range. Next to those, the Elevenses are maybe easy to look past.
One could argue that this is priced a tenner or so too high - in my market - when compared to those Signatory offerings. Then again it’s good to keep in mind how much stock Signatory Vintage is sitting on and at which prices they managed to get hold of it all those years ago. Their exports can also be done cheaper because they can send over much more at a time. I do feel for the newer, smaller IB’s that have to compete with them at a time where people are pulling in the purse strings.
However, if Keeble Cask Co. manages to keep the prices fair while bringing us the quality they have brought up until now, either through their Fragrant Drops or Elevenses Whisky, I’ll keep exploring.
Meanwhile, I’ll be contemplating, planning, and budgeting, so that next year I may once again descend upon Glasgow for another fabulous weekend with these fabulous people.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. MM
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