1978 Cadenheads Linkwood 18 Years is an interesting bottling of Linkwood. I can’t say that my Linkwood experience is incredibly deep, but it does fall in line with the other Linkwoods I’ve had. All of which, like this one, have come from independent bottlers. I’ve had a dynamite Samaroli Linkwood, a Chieftain’s Linkwood I didn’t care too much for and a Signatory Linkwood that was also dynamite.
Most of what Linkwood makes goes into Johnnie Walker blends and White Horse so not a lot of its own single malt gets bottled, but when it does it’s by independent bottlers like Cadenhead’s. The whisky in this bottle of 1978 Cadenheads Linkwood 18 Years comes from an interesting time in the distillery’s history, it was done during a period where they operated 2 distilleries under the Linkwood name.
Linkwood A was the main distillery from 1874-1985 when it was mothballed with Linkwood B handling auxiliary distilling from 1971-1985 at which point it became the main distillery. Today the original Linkwood (A) now serves as the auxiliary distillery to Linkwood B; being from 1978 this whisky could have came from either A or B. Though it’s most likely to have come from A since it was the main distillery at the time.
1978 Cadenheads Linkwood 18 Years Info
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Distiller: Linkwood
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: “Oak Cask” (ex-bourbon)
Age: 18 years ( March 1976 June 1996)
ABV: 54%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: NA – Auctions / Specialty
1978 Cadenheads Linkwood 18 Years Review
EYE
Light yellow, barely any color
NOSE
Light and fruity with a strong bit of wood, vanilla and an odd bit of spice. Light notes of dark sweets and a bourbon-like underpinning round out a subtle but engaging aroma.
PALATE
Fruity and woody with layers of dark sweets and banana taffy with a touch of dusty spice and ash. It might not be complex but it sure is satisfying.
FINISH
Medium dissolve of fruit, wood, spice and ash.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Decent balance, medium body and a hot feel that makes it a little rough. It runs hotter than expected.
OVERALL
Nothing to go crazy about, but the 1978 Cadenheads Linkwood 18 Years is far from being something I’d turn down. Fruity and oddly woody with some nice spice notes it was a an easy dram to imbibe. Water didn’t bring out any additional complexity, but it did tone down the heat a bit which made for an overall better drinking experience. A fun sippable whisky with a solid character through and through.
SCORE: 86/100 (B)
