Linkwood
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Linkwood
Distillery
Elgin, Highland, IV30 3RD Scotland
Tel: +44 (0)1343 553 800 / Fax: +44 (0)1343 549449
Viewer's Comments about Linkwood
 The
Linkwood Distillery is situated in a secluded leafy corner
of the Highlands on the banks of a pretty dam and amongst
a thriving wildlife population. Swans have been associated
with Linkwood for at least two centauries and the dam is home
to ducks, heron, water hen and shags. Dippers feed in the
Linkwood Burn and otters, wild mink and red squirrels play
nearby.
This tranquil setting has been home to a succession of remarkable
men who have dedicated themselves to Linkwood's golden spirit,
and whose lives have woven the distillery's rich and intriguing
history.
Linkwood Distillery was built in 1821 by Peter Brown, a factor
of the Seafield estates in Moray and Banffshire and a man
of much influence and forceful character. He was also one
of the foremost agricultural improvers in the northern counties.
The purpose of the Distillery was to extend the productivity
of Brown's land and provide the final link in the agrarian
cycle. Barley grown on the estates was used in whisky making
and the by-product from the distillery, known as draff, was
used as feed to fatten the cattle.
Customs and Excise records show that Peter Brown started distilling
at Linkwood in 1825 and was soon producing more than 1,000
gallons (4,500 liters) a year from two stills.
Peter Brown died in 1869 and the distillery was operated for
the next 35 years by his son, William Brown, who erected spacious
new premises in 1872-73.
In 1874, a local journal recorded that nothing had been left
undone "that could add to the convenience, durability,
or appearance of the establishment" and the quality of
the whisky being produced was "quite equal in flavour
and in every other respect" to that which gave Linkwood
its early reputation. William also expanded the distillery's
capacity to 50,000 gallons (227,000 liters) a year, founding
an extremely successful business which weathered a slump in
demand for whisky during the mid-1880s.
In 1897, four years after William Brown's death, the Linkwood-Glenlivet
Distillery Company was floated and the premises were further
extended. As a result, production capacity doubled. Linkwood
whisky had always been a great favourite in Speyside, but
now it began to fetch a good price in the markets in the south.
In 1902, the second of the remarkable men in Linkwood's history,
Innes Cameron, an Elgin whisky broker, joined the board. He
was e managing director for many years and when he died in
1932, he was the largest shareholder. Linkwood's success during
those years was later attributed to Innes Cameron's knowledge
of the whisky trade. Following his death, the company was
sold to Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd., which later became
part of United Distillers. Today Linkwood is owned by the
spirits conglomerate Diageo.
Linkwood, along with most other malt whisky distilleries,
closed during the Second World War because of restrictions
on the supply of barley. When the distillery reopened in 1945,
another remarkable man, Roderick Mackenzie, became manager
and his influence during the next 18 years ensured that Linkwood's
authentic character was retained. He believed the character
of a malt whisky was a complex relationship - not just of
the vessels in which it is made - but of everything in the
immediate environment. Mackenzie even refused to allow new
employees to remove cobwebs in the distillery!
In 1962 when it became essential to rebuild the distillery
and install new stills, Mackenzie insisted that, according
to custom, the new stills were exact replicas of those they
replaced. He started up the new distillery just before he
retired in 1963.
Demand for Linkwood's "elegant and complex Speyside classic"
whisky continued to grow and in 1971, an additional distillery
was commissioned to satisfy the demand by blending companies
for Linkwood malt whisky.
Linkwood Distillery produces a single malt whisky used for
blending. Actually, just only 1 or 2% of the production is
marketed as single malt while the remaining is used in blends
within the Diageo portfolio such as Haig, Bells
and Dimple and Johnnie
Walker. |
Courtesy
of Diageo Scotland |
LINKWOOD 25 YEAR
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
GORDON & MACPHAIL BOTTLING |
LINKWOOD 18 YEAR
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
BENIVOR BOTTLING |
LINKWOOD 11 YEAR
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
BLACKADDER BOTTLING |
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Cask:
First
Fill Sherry Hogsheads.
Colour: Orange gold.
Nose: Rich fruits - green apples and grapes
with strong sherry aromas. Sweet, toffee notes with peaty, phenolic
edge.
Palate: Smoky with sweet phenolic notes. Cherry
tobacco and rich fruit flavours.
Finish: Sherried with rounding sweetness. |
A unique collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, the BENIVOR
ELITE SELECTION brings to devotees of single malts, the gems from
Scotland's great distilleries. Hand picked rather than randomly
chosen, the BENIVIOR ELITE SELECTION of whiskies is the result
of hours of expert nosing. Many samples will be considered, but
only the best will be selected. Bottled at ambient temperature,
the essential esters have been retained and the original style
is enhanced with all color coming naturally from the wood, as
the whisky gently matures over the years. The casks in the BENIVOR
ELITE SELECTION have been chosen by Wallace Milroy for their individual
pedigree, bringing to customers an unrivalled range of tastes
and the best that Scotland's distilleries can offer. |
Blackadder
Single Malt Whiskies are bottled from carefully selected single
casks. No colorings are added and we do not use chill-filtration
when bottling. Each cask is chosen to represent the very best
example of its type and age. No two casks of whisky are ever exactly
alike, because the type of oak used, and the conditions under
which it is stored, will both influence the ultimate spirit produced.
The whiskies we select therefore offer the widest possible variety
of singular taste experiences. They are second to none. Like fine
wines, these naturally bottled whiskies may throw a little sediment
on the bottom of the bottle. They can also appear slightly cloudy
or 'milky' when cold or when water is added. This is quite natural.
To heighten your enjoyment of this fine whisky, we suggest that
you add a small quantity of still water to the spirit. |
Linkwood
Distillery
The Linkwood Distillery is a complex of modern distillery
buildings and old warehouses. It still has an air, proper
to Highland malt distilleries, of having been there a long
time. The trees that shelter it from the north wind and
screen it from Dunkinty House are the successors of those
planted and maintained by Peter Brown and his father, George.
The description of the dam as "an exceedingly pretty
sheet of water" is still appropriate. Swans drift on
the surface with disdainful ease; but like the dam, they
are there for a practical purpose. The original pair was
brought here from Gordon Castle, long ago, to keep down
the weeds.
The dam holds cooling water from the Burn of Linkwood. Other
cooling water is piped from the Burn of Bogs and process
water comes from springs near Milbuies Loch. A steam engine,
supplemented by a water wheel, drove all machinery until
replaced by electric power in 1962-63. During this time,
the distillery was carefully rebuilt with new stills added.
Manager Roderick Mackenzie ensured that any changes made
in no way effected Linkwood's authentic character.
A second distillery was added in 1971 which included four
stills. In 1985, the old distillery was mothballed, however,
five years later in 1990, it was reopened and operates a
few months each year.
The Linkwood Distillery does not have a visitor centre.
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Courtesy
of Diageo Scotland |
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