Private

Collection 1956

from

Linkwood

Distillery

Rarity

exemplified

Private Collection 1956 from Linkwood Distillery is a truly beautiful and refined single malt Scotch whisky.

Cask 20, a first fill European Oak Sherry hogshead, was filled during the early days of 1956. The cask was stowed in Linkwood Distillery's Warehouse No.5 until it was moved to our Elgin bond on 18th June 1968. Matured for a total of sixty years, the cask was emptied on the 22nd June 2016 and fifty-six decanters were carefully filled. This was the last Linkwood cask from the 1950s in our inventory.

This single malt is a true celebration of what Gordon & MacPhail represents: our passion for whisky, our patience, and our relationships, forged over generations.

Every detail is perfect: the craftsmanship of the specially-designed box, the elegance of the glassware, and the exquisite character of the precious, mature single malt whisky residing within.

Cask Type

First fill Sherry hogshead; Cask 20

DISTILLATION DATE

3rd January 1956

AGE

60 years old

MOVED FROM LINKWOOD DISTILLERY TO ELGIN

18th June 1968

BOTTLING DATE

22nd June 2016

NUMBER OF DECANTERS

STRENGTH

49.4% ABV

COLOUR

Roasted chestnuts and polished mahogany

Take your time. There’s no need to rush.

Tasting note by Stephen Rankin

NOSE

Rich, warm, and sweet. It starts off very gently with soft mature alcohols being very obliging as you inhale them. Baked apple with raisins, sultanas, a drizzle of crème anglaise, and a side of toffee sauce develop into a heady fruitcake. With time, notes of a dark chocolate and orange tart come to the fore. And then, a touch of honey, a wild dark honey, that ripens into maple syrup. Further patience is rewarded with aromas of dates and figs.

PALATE

Initially charming and gently coating the mouth. The longer you hold it, however, the warmer it becomes. It is full-bodied, as expected from Linkwood, with good acidity that makes you salivate for more. It is sweet: the dark wild honey is now drizzled over warm apple strudel. Flavours of fruitcake entertain the taste buds. The mid-palate is equally gentle, but now there is more – the dark chocolate orange tart is back on the menu!

FINISH

Long. Dried fruit, oak with a touch of candle wax, followed by soot and the scent of an extinguished candle.

WITH WATER

Two careful drops bring the oak to the forefront both in the nose and on the palate; the sweetness is heightened into a treacle toffee. The palate remains rich and coating; the oak mixes with nutty tannins and toasted malt – a delightful balance. Dark chocolate and toffee notes are now accompanied by hints of leather.