Linkwood 1990 / 33 Year Old / Cask #6965 / Connoisseurs Choice Speyside Whisky

Haruki Sato — A quiet stunner

8/10

This isn't a whisky that shouts at you, which I actually appreciate. Poured neat, it gives you subtle dried fruit, a touch of cinnamon, and this lovely creamy vanilla that must come from over three decades in that single cask. It finishes long and slightly nutty. I wouldn't call it life-changing at the price point, but it's a genuinely refined dram that rewards patience.

Adaobi Eze — A quiet stunner

8/10

This isn't a whisky that shouts at you, which I actually appreciate. Poured neat, it gives you subtle dried fruit, a touch of cinnamon, and this lovely creamy vanilla that must come from over three decades in that single cask. It finishes long and slightly nutty. I wouldn't call it life-changing at the price point, but it's a genuinely refined dram that rewards patience.

Camila Ortiz — A quiet stunner

8/10

This isn't a whisky that shouts at you, which I actually appreciate. Poured neat, it gives you subtle dried fruit, a touch of cinnamon, and this lovely creamy vanilla that must come from over three decades in that single cask. It finishes long and slightly nutty. I wouldn't call it life-changing at the price point, but it's a genuinely refined dram that rewards patience.

Sibel Nur — Lovely but hard to justify the price tag

7/10

Look, this is a very good whisky — soft tropical fruits, vanilla, a bit of marzipan, all rounded off by 33 years of careful maturation. I drank it neat and enjoyed every sip. But at £950 I keep thinking about the three or four excellent bottles I could buy instead. The Connoisseurs Choice label usually delivers, and it does here too, just wish it punched a little harder for the money.

Daniel Oyama — Lovely but hard to justify the price tag

7/10

Look, this is a very good whisky — soft tropical fruits, vanilla, a bit of marzipan, all rounded off by 33 years of careful maturation. I drank it neat and enjoyed every sip. But at £950 I keep thinking about the three or four excellent bottles I could buy instead. The Connoisseurs Choice label usually delivers, and it does here too, just wish it punched a little harder for the money.

Mia Sundberg — Lovely but hard to justify the price tag

7/10

Look, this is a very good whisky — soft tropical fruits, vanilla, a bit of marzipan, all rounded off by 33 years of careful maturation. I drank it neat and enjoyed every sip. But at £950 I keep thinking about the three or four excellent bottles I could buy instead. The Connoisseurs Choice label usually delivers, and it does here too, just wish it punched a little harder for the money.

Jake Morrison — Silky old Speyside magic

9/10

Had this at a tasting last month and I'm still thinking about it. The nose alone is worth sitting with for ten minutes — orange marmalade, floral honey, and old polished wood. On the palate at 49.1% it's surprisingly delicate for its strength, just waves of soft fruit and gentle spice. One of the best aged Speysides I've tried this year.

Ingrid Holm — Silky old Speyside magic

9/10

Had this at a tasting last month and I'm still thinking about it. The nose alone is worth sitting with for ten minutes — orange marmalade, floral honey, and old polished wood. On the palate at 49.1% it's surprisingly delicate for its strength, just waves of soft fruit and gentle spice. One of the best aged Speysides I've tried this year.

Omar Diallo — Silky old Speyside magic

9/10

Had this at a tasting last month and I'm still thinking about it. The nose alone is worth sitting with for ten minutes — orange marmalade, floral honey, and old polished wood. On the palate at 49.1% it's surprisingly delicate for its strength, just waves of soft fruit and gentle spice. One of the best aged Speysides I've tried this year.

Elena Morozova — Classic old Linkwood character

8/10

Linkwood is one of those distilleries that doesn't get enough love, and this 33-year-old from cask #6965 shows why that's a shame. Neat, it opens up with stewed orchard fruits and a hint of beeswax, then shifts into gentle oak spice on the palate. I'd have liked a touch more complexity for the price, but it's a beautifully balanced old Speyside that never tries too hard.

Kofi Asante — Classic old Linkwood character

8/10

Linkwood is one of those distilleries that doesn't get enough love, and this 33-year-old from cask #6965 shows why that's a shame. Neat, it opens up with stewed orchard fruits and a hint of beeswax, then shifts into gentle oak spice on the palate. I'd have liked a touch more complexity for the price, but it's a beautifully balanced old Speyside that never tries too hard.

Petra Novak — Classic old Linkwood character

8/10

Linkwood is one of those distilleries that doesn't get enough love, and this 33-year-old from cask #6965 shows why that's a shame. Neat, it opens up with stewed orchard fruits and a hint of beeswax, then shifts into gentle oak spice on the palate. I'd have liked a touch more complexity for the price, but it's a beautifully balanced old Speyside that never tries too hard.

Jorge Castillo — Worth every penny at a special occasion

9/10

I cracked this open for my 50th birthday and it did not disappoint. Gorgeous honeyed fruit on the nose — dried apricot and old leather — then this long, waxy finish that just keeps going. At 49.1% it's got enough punch without being aggressive. Not an everyday dram at £950, but for a 33-year-old Speyside of this quality, I've seen far worse value.

Nia Okafor — Worth every penny at a special occasion

9/10

I cracked this open for my 50th birthday and it did not disappoint. Gorgeous honeyed fruit on the nose — dried apricot and old leather — then this long, waxy finish that just keeps going. At 49.1% it's got enough punch without being aggressive. Not an everyday dram at £950, but for a 33-year-old Speyside of this quality, I've seen far worse value.

Dmitri Volkov — Worth every penny at a special occasion

9/10

I cracked this open for my 50th birthday and it did not disappoint. Gorgeous honeyed fruit on the nose — dried apricot and old leather — then this long, waxy finish that just keeps going. At 49.1% it's got enough punch without being aggressive. Not an everyday dram at £950, but for a 33-year-old Speyside of this quality, I've seen far worse value.