The Wealth Spirit is the independent bottling business started by Eric Dang. He’s been sourcing whisky from Duncan Taylor and Milroy’s of Soho. Among his early bottlings there was some Ben Nevis and old Strathclyde grain whisky. Now we’re looking at two new bottlings, a middle-aged Linkwood and Secret Speyside.
Linkwood 13 yo 2013 (47,3%, The Wealth Spirit & Milroy’s 2026, bourbon hogshead #300366, 189 btl.)
Nose: sweet, but slightly chalky and tangy at the same time. There’s barley sugar, Belgian Triple, as well as poached pears, vanilla and hints of coconut shavings. Then some floral / powdery aromas, a little grist and subtle hints of custard. Hints of lemon zest and oak shavings too. Quite aromatic and bourbonny.
Mouth: perfect strength. Still a sweet and generous fruity core, with yellow orchard fruits (greengages, pears) as well as a nice hint of mango. There’s some eau-de-vie pureness to it as well. Then plenty of vanilla, along with pastry notes and marshmallows. Along the way there’s a greener (herbal) note and some plain oak involved (perhaps a hint of re-charring?).
Finish: medium length, clean and leaning towards fruit spirits, floral honey and a hint of gingery oak.
A good bourbon cask, which support the fruity Linkwood spirit. It’s a very summery dram, with a pleasant candied side and this typical eau-de-vie character. A nice daily dram. Available from The Wealth Spirit direct.
Secret Speyside 16 yo 2008 (48,8%, The Wealth Spirit & Milroy’s 2025, third-fill sherry butt, 165 btl.)
Nose: a lightly dry and savoury sherry profile. Cocoa dusting, some coffee beans, as well as some leafy / mossy notes. Hints of dried figs and raisins underneath. Then also a clear wave of toasted oak, including ginger and cinnamon. Herbal tea, a touch of burlap and whiffs of tobacco after a while.
Mouth: a good texture and a spicy arrival. Black peppercorns, ginger and cinnamon at first. Then tobacco again, along with chocolate truffles, cola sweets, caramel coated biscuits and more of that toasted wood influence. Some caramelized walnuts. A nice profile, although some fruitiness or brightness would lift it.
Finish: medium length, getting a bit drier again, with some earthy touches. The spiciness of the cask stays strong.
Good whisky again, this time far less fruity. Third-fill, really? The cask lends a lot of spicy notes but some added brightness would have been welcome. Sold out, as far as I can tell. Score: 86/100