EYE / NOSE
Dark amber with a mahogany border. Numerous large bubbles on the Glencairn wall promise endless strength. Long, thin spider legs run extremely leisurely down the inside of the glass. Then the scent. Will the Linkwood noticeably stay below the expected sherry load? Experience has shown that short, violent finishes take a little more time than comparable full ripening processes in the glass to develop, otherwise the malt threatens to appear light.
Grape must, some alcohol, mustard powder, forest fruit jam, red wine gum, some caramel. A little different from the usual, modern sherry notes that are known. The short finish looks good on the young Linkwood. The sweet variety of flavors is pleasant and pleasantly surprising. Much less exuberant than you might have guessed, a successful start!

PALATE
The Linkwood rolls over the tongue demanding. It gets hot in the mouth immediately, the alcohol pushes powerfully. Borderline, but just in the frame for my taste. I feel a strong spice tingling on the tongue. Interesting first taste association for a supposed sherry bomb. Menthol freshness, a hint of vanilla and a sweet, winy note, with a hint of cinnamon. A second sip reveals the rich, oily consistency of the malt. In the background I notice a little milk chocolate, but more a feeling than 'real' aromas. The palate may be a bit lacking in complexity overall, although it can certainly score with a certain finesse. A very successful composition, I would have expected it to be less convincing in terms of taste.

FINISH / CONCLUSION
No sulfur, no other bad notes, but a few drops of water help the Linkwood, round off the aromas and tickle the palate a few more nuances of fruitiness. The aftertaste is pleasantly long, a little oak becomes noticeable over time and complements the sherry notes. At the very end, the Signatory gives me the feeling of having enjoyed wine gums again. The circle is complete. By the way, let's not completely slay the malt, even if the sherry influence is clear. However, Linkwood or its distillery character is so unknown that some may hardly notice it.

Lots of dark chocolate, fermented dark fruit, subliminal somewhat musty, but not unpleasant, alcohol not noticeable in the nose, a pleasant sharpness in the mouth comes with a very light herbal note, now there is also subtle mint.