Fragrant Drops Dailuaine Cask #302708 & Fragrant Drops Linkwood Cask #9008905

Fragrant Drops Dailuaine Cask #302708

Region: Speyside

ABV: 58.5%

Price: £65.00

This bottling was distilled on the 9th of February 2015 and began its maturation in a bourbon cask before being transferred to a "mystery" barrique at some point. It was bottled on the 18th of July 2024, with a total of 276 bottles released.

Nose

The nose opens with baking spices, cinnamon and nutmeg, along with dates, and prunes. We're finding warm ginger sponge cake, a little leather, malted biscuit crumbs, and chocolate coated walnuts. It's a really powerful nose, not in alcohol but rather the aromas are jumping out of the glass. There's also some baked vanilla merengue and toffee sauce.

Palate

The palate has freshly grated ginger up front, coffee beans, balsamic vinegar, dark chocolate mousse, and cherry jam. It's nice and viscous on the palate, a really pleasant mouthfeel. The finish is long, chocolatey, with a little burnt brown sugar right at the end. Going back after some time and air, we're finding cinnamon danish pastries, brown butter and a little copper.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose is much more mellow, lots more vanilla and fudge coming through. The warm spices are now softer, and we're finding cassia bark and clove. It's a little less interesting with water on the nose, we'd say skip adding any.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has brandy snaps, red grapes, light caramel and toffee aromas. The spice has definitely mellowed, but again it feels a little less interesting. The finish still lasts for a good while, lots of brown sugar and cherries with a little dark cocoa powder at the end.

Conclusion

This reminds us a bit of a heavy toast, medium char cask - there's lots of those warm, toasted oak flavours coming through for us. Regardless, it's a pretty cracking 9 year old Dailuaine. It's a little aggressive in some places however we quite enjoy whisky like this from time to time... keeps us on our toes.

Score: 8/10

Value

Competitively priced.

Fragrant Drops Linkwood Cask #9008905

Region: Speyside

ABV: 58.0%

Price: £74.50

This bottling was distilled on the 18th of October 2011 and in April 2022 was transferred into a fresh tequila barrel until bottling on 10th of May 2024. A total of 232 bottles were released.

Nose

The initial nose is really quite fresh, we're finding pear flesh, white grapes, white sandwich bread, mellow orange zest, candyfloss and a hint of nail varnish remover right in the background. There's also a bit of lime cordial, watery apple juice and caster sugar. The alcohol feels well balanced and well integrated.

Palate

The palate is quite zesty up front, lots of fresh lime juice and peel coming through for us. We're also finding a herbal, green sort of flavour, bruised mint leaves, more simple white sugars, white peach and green grape. It's fairly fruity, sweet but there's a real kick of alcohol behind this - not overpowering but perhaps a little warm in places. The mouthfeel is syrupy and the finish lingers on for a while, however it does become a little dry towards the end.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose becomes much more fruit forward, orchard fruits in particular, stewed down apples and pears, a hint of cinnamon thrown in for good measure. There's still a lot of citrus here but it's faded into the background. There's a slight mustiness that's appeared too.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate loses a bit of the mouthfeel, but still opens with lots of freshly juiced limes, lime leaves, apple brandy and a little warming oak spice. The alcohol feels a little more in balance now, but the finish maintains the dryness as it lingers on.

Conclusion

Fragrant Drops seem to have a knack for bottling Linkwood's, this is a really nice example of the distillery with a unique cask finish that compliments the spirit character. It's light, fruity and sweet, but still has a bit of a bite to it.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

Good price considering the finish.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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