the linkwood distillery is a whisky distillery in elgin , in the speyside region of scotland .

it is owned by the drinks giant diageo .

the distillery was built in 1821 by peter brown with two stills , and started production in 1825 with a capacity of 4,500 litres per year .

the distillery was operated by james walker until browns death in 1868 , after which the distillery got under control of his son , william brown .

between 1872 and 1873 william brown , the son of peter brown designed and built a new distillery with help of architect methven , replacing the old one on the same location .

the new distillery had a capacity of 227,000 liters per year .

after william browns death , the linkwood-glenlivet company was created by browns family in 1898 and brought to the stock exchange .

the distillery was then further extended to a capacity of 454,000 liters per year .

in 1902 innes cameron joined the linkwood-glenlivet company and became managing director of the linkwood distillery until his death in 1932 .

by that time he was the largest shareholder of the company .

the company was sold to scottish malt distillers , which itself was bought by united distillers .

after temporary closure between 1941 and 1945 as a result of barley shortage during the world war ii , the distillery reopened in 1945 under roderick mackenzie , who led the distillery until 1963 .

mackenzie who believed that all things in the distillery contributed to the final product .

in 1962 , scottish malt distillers decided the distillery needed to be completely refurbished .

mackenzie oversaw the rebuilding of the distillery in his last year as general manager .

the distillery was electrified , replacing the steam engine and water wheel that powered the distillery before , and all stills were replaced with exact replicas of the former stills .

in 1971 the a second distillery was built alongside the first , which became known as linkwood b , with steam heated stills .

the stills of the first distillery were converted by heated by steam as well .

with the build of linkwood b the two distilleries reached its current combined capacity of 2.5 million liters per year .

the distillery was mothballed between 1985 and 1990 .

linkwood distillery

3 ) the linkwood distillery is named after the nearby burn of linkwood - which supplies cooling water .
dark spice and strawberries abound this 15 year old from the linkwood distillery . more info
in 1971 a second distillery with four stills was built next to the old distillery . the technical specifications of the new distillery were different ( the new distillery used condensers as opposed to the cast iron worm tub that was used at the old distillery ) , so there are two distinctly different distilleries on the premises ; linkwood a ( the old one ) and linkwood b ( new ) .
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1 ) founder peter brown ran the linkwood distillery for almost half a century , between 1821 and 1868 .
peter brown founded the distillery in 1821 . at its inception , the site had only two stills , and whisky operation wasn ' t entirely legal yet . the distillery formally began operations in 1825 , after whisky distillation was legalized . brown ' s original distillery operated with only one wash still and one spirit still . brown actually ran the distillery for over fifty years , until his death in 1868 . brown ' s son , william inherited the distillery , and demolished the original distillery to make way for the distillery today .
this means that linkwood started legal whisky production not too long after glenlivet distillery that claims to be the first legal distillery . if the historical information is correct , peter brown ran linkwood for almost fifty years until his death in 1868 . his son william inherited the distillery and demolished it four years later to make room for a new one . construction of a brand new linkwood distillery began in 1872 and was finished two years later , in 1874 .
the mashtun of the linkwood distilleryoriginally , the distillery used its own floor maltings , but now the distillery sources its malts from one of diageo ' s industrial sources in speyside . linkwood distillery uses a combination of peated and unpeated malts , which are used for different distillation process , depending on the destination of the single malt being distilled .
the two stills are increased by four . technically , the four new stills belong to a new distillery sometimes referred to as linkwood b .
the brown family stayed involved with linkwood until 1897 when it was taken over by the linkwood - glenlivet distillery co . ltd . in 1902 robert innes cameron became a board member of the company and over the years his influence grew . innes cameron eventually became director of linkwood and chairman of the malt distillers association . in 1933 , one year after innes cameron passed away , linkwood distillery was taken over by scottish malt distillers ltd . ( smd ) . this marked the beginning of a few relatively uneventful decades until a major refurbishment of the distillery in 1962 . the specifications of the ' old ' linkwood distillery remained unchanged .
the distillery was again rebuilt in 1962 and a new four still stillhouse ( called linkwood b ) was built in 1971 . this ran alongside the old two still distillery ( then called linkwood a ) until 1985 . linkwood a was then demolished last year and the two stills were rehoused in an extension to linkwood b . this extension also holds six new washbacks , but more about those later .
peter brown founded the distillery in 1821 . at its inception , the site had only two stills , and whisky operation wasn ' t entirely legal yet . the distillery formally began operations in 1825 , after whisky distillation was legalized . brown ' s original distillery operated with only one wash still and one spirit still .
the parking lot infront of the stillhous of the linkwood distillerylinkwood draws the water used in its production from the milbules spring , which flows beside the distillery . the production capacity of the distillery stands at an impressive 3 . 5 million liters a year . the distillery has gone through a series of renovations and refurbishments . in 1971 , a second still house was built , which uses six large washbacks , as opposed to the older distillery , which uses five smaller ones .
the flora and fauna series released 12 year old from the speyside distillery , linkwood . whisky magazine awarded this an
editor ' s choice
. more info
some sort of a finish ? it overwhelms the distillery character . too bad , because the core is good .
linkwood ( or rather : the first of the two linkwood distilleries ) was founded in 1821 by peter brown . that means that it was founded when whisky distillation was still ( sort of ) illegal . however , it wasn ' t until 1825 that production actually started at linkwood distillery .
the original distillery was built in 1821 on the southern outskirts of elgin by one peter brown . however , his distillery was completely demolished and rebuilt by his son william in the 1870s . a new stillhouse with four new stills was added in the 1970s andis now the focus of malt production – the old washbacks are the only part of the old distillery still in use today .
a 12 year old from linkwood distillery in speyside . distilled 2000 with one cask producing 762 bottles in 2012 . one of four single cask malts released by wemyss malts in january . . .
the tour finished in the manager ' s office , which is located across from the main distillery building . here we enjoyed a tasting of the linkwood 12 years old , which was deliciously light , zesty and grassy . we were able to look at some photos of the old distillery and recent extension works , plus ask further questions of eric and pierrick . linkwood is a lovely distillery and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of it . the way that the old and new sections have been put together is very good .
single malt from the linkwood distillery , drawn from a single refill hogshead and independently bottled by langside . this 10 year old expression was distilled in 2006 and matured until 2017 , when it… more info
an indie bottling of single malt scotch whisky from the linkwood distillery , drawn from a pair of hogshead casks which matured said whisky for 22 years - from may 1995 to december 2017 . more info
the linkwood distillery is located on the outskirts of elgin and was founded in 1821 by peter brown . he remained in charge until his death in 1868 , when linkwood was inherited by his son william . he rebuilt the distillery in 1873 to increase capacity and it was again doubled in capacity in 1897 . linkwood became part of scottish malt distillers , a subsidiary of the distillers company ltd which would later go on to form part of the current owners diageo .
a brick wall with the letters linkwood placed on themthe speyside distillery of linkwood has a very slim selection of official bottlings for prospective buyers to choose from . official releases from the distillery have been very rare , and mainly limited to diago ' s flora and fauna range , as well as united distiller ' s rare malts range . there have also been a number of independent bottlings of linkwood by such bottlers as gordon & macphail , duncan taylor and douglas laing .
the glenlivet code is a limited edition bottling from the famous speyside distillery that offers no product information on the bottle or p . . .
the small speyside distillery of benromach is celebrating two anniversaries this year – 120 years since it was originally built and 20 ye . . .
22 year old single malt from the linkwood distillery in speyside , independently bottled by signatory . it was distilled back in may 1995 and allowed to age in a pair of hogshead casks which were… more info
the vast majority of the spirit distilled at linkwood is used is such diageo - owned blends as johnnie walker and white horse . however , the distillery also sells of much of the spirit to other blenders .
is the distillery or brand you ' re looking for not on this list ? check out the ' brands ' page for more . . .
a single cask whisky from linkwood distillery aged for an amazing 24 years . distilled on the 5th of december 1989 and bottled by montgomerie ' s for their single cask collection in march 2013 . tops . more info
a single malt scotch whisky from the linkwood distillery in speyside , drawn from a pair of bourbon barrels which matured the whisky for 18 years , from november 1998 to may 2017 . following that , the… more info
this is an 11 year old single malt from the linkwood distillery , independently bottled by that boutique - y whisky company . as with the rest of the boutique - y bottling , the label features a reference… more info
founded in 1821 , the distillery sits in a tranquil setting overlooking the dam of the linkwood burn . the water that makes linkwood whisky comes from millbuies springs , and makes a fine , smooth and complex whisky ; just it always has , through wars and depressions , takeovers and closures .
this quaint distillery sits on the river lossie , close to elgin in speyside . established in 1825 , peter brown and his son famously built the reputation of linkwood over 70 years . they were followed by manager roberick mackenzie who vehemently resisted any changes being made to what his two predecessors had established . rarely seen as a single malt distillery bottling , demand for linkwood has always outstripped supply , despite a new still house being added to run alongside the original in 1971 .
the linkwood distillery sits in elgin , drawing its water from the springs of millbuies loch . next to the distillery is a large and rather beautiful reservoir which plays host to a variety of local wildlife including ducks and swans , the latter can be seen gracing the label of the twelve year - old bottling . linkwood is home to two stillhouses , linkwood a , which is currently not in use , houses the two original stills and linkwood b , in which a further four stills operate . the distillery has a capacity of 2 . 24 million litres per annum and the majority of the whisky produced is used for blending , notably in johnnie walker . thanks to diageo there have been , of late , several single malt whiskies released from linkwood . in 2008 , three twenty - six year - olds were launched , notable for their 50cl bottles and having spent the last fourteen years of their maturation in either rum , red wine or port casks . there have been quite a number of independent bottlings in recent times , joining a few special editions and the flora and fauna twelve year - old . the linkwood distillery was founded in 1821 by peter brown and rebuilt fifty - one years later following william brown’s inheritance of the distillery in 1868 . linkwood is currently under diageo ownership following scottish malt distillers takeover in 1933 and their subsequent amalgamation to form the drinks giant .
linkwood always evokes thoughts of sweetmeats . this one seems a particularly sweet interpetation .
this 16 year old sherried whisky from linkwood was released at the 2013 whisky show in london . the label shape is inspired by vintage old bottles of linkwood .
this distillery by the banks of the river lossie is every bit the idyll of a country distillery , with its woodlands and resident population of swans . legend has it that longtime manager roderick mackenzie thought the environment so important to the taste of linkwood , he forbade the removal of spiders’ webs from the rafters in case the character were to change . great care is still taken to maintain its high standards , though the cobwebs have been removed .
the construction of a second distillery next to the old one wasn ' t unusual for smd ; they did the same with clynelish ( constructed right next to brora ) and glendullan ( where another distillery was built under the same name ) in 1972 . the twin stills approach was ' en vogue ' a few decades ago , but these days the expansion of production capacity is realised in other ways . the old distillery ( linkwood a ) was closed in 1985 , but it was reopened again in 1990 - not to go into full production again though . linkwood ' a ' makes whisky for just a few months per year . at least , this was the case until fairly recently . nowadays ' linkwood b ' may be the only distillery running again with only the washbacks of ' linkwood a ' being used . with six large washbacks the new distillery has more of those than the old distillery , which has five smaller ones . the stills of both distilleries are heated by steam . linkwood has built a strong reputation with blenders over the years and these days most of the whisky is used in blends ; notably johnnie walker and white horse . the vast majority of the malt whisky that is produced at linkwood is still used for blends and for a long time the only official bottling from the distillery was a 12yo expression in the ' flora & fauna ' range . this situation changed in 2008 when diageo released three different ' finishes ' ; rum , port and ' sweet red wine ' . while the concept of finishes is hardly unusual these days , these bottlings had some noteworthy features . for one thing , the age of these releases was 26 years and the double maturation lasted for more than half that time : 14 years . the size of the bottles was unusual too ; just 0 . 5 litres as opposed to the regular 0 . 7 litres ( for europe ) or 0 . 75 litres ( in the us ) .
a cask inside the linkwood warehouselinkwood has a series of onsite warehouses , which are both dunnage and racked . littlewood is aged in a combination of american oak and spanish sherry casks , which are selected from a series of distilleries and vintners in america and spain that the distillery has a long - standing relationship with .
distillers company limited ( dcl ) launches their series the ascot malt cellar which includes linkwood 12 years .
the pot stills of the linkwood distillerylinkwood distillery has three wash and three spirit stills . the wash stills each have a capacity of 15 ' 000 liters , while the spirit stills each have a capacity of 17 ' 000 . both the wash and spirit stills have a pear shape , with large , spherical lids , and tall conical necks . the spirit stills spherical lids are wider than that of their wash counterparts , allowing for slightly different distillation flow in the still . the distillery is one of very few in scotland that has not one but two still houses . today , only one is used , with the original house having lain silent since 1996 . the second still house was added in 1971 to increase the distillery ' s production capacity . rumors say , that the second still house was started again for production .
in 2012 , the old building was demolished as part of yet another upgrade . this time six new washbacks were installed in a new distillery along with two new stills . capacity is now in excess of 5 . 5m litres per annum .
linkwood is a part of diageo ' s portfolio of distilleries , having been in the possession of scottish malt distillers / distillers company ltd since the 1930s . shortly after the dcl takeover in 1936 , the distillery was run by a superstitious gael called roderick mackenzie , who famously refused to remove even the cobwebs in the stillhouse in case it affected the quality of the spirit .
. this tour takes in four of diageo ' s single malt distilleries around the elgin area of speyside that are not normally open to the public - glen elgin , glenlossie , linkwood and mannochmore . our guide for the trip was eric walker , the senior site manager in charge of the four distilleries . so , on a bright spring saturday morning we boarded a minibus full of european malt fanatics and headed for linkwood , our first distillery of the day and one which we knew very little about .
our tour was led by pierrick guillame , the new trainee site operations manager at linkwood , who was supported by eric . linkwood was the first distillery that eric worked at when he started in the industry 35 years ago and he has a clear affection for it . as we head to the mashing room , pierrick explains that they have five malt bins at linkwood and each holds a staggering 28 tonnes of malted barley . it takes an hour for each bin to be filled . the malt is produced mostly within diageo ' s own facilities and current strains being used include belgravia and concerto . this is then milled down in the porteus mill in four hour sessions to produce their grist .
tour and it is difficult to pinpoint why that is . we hope that it is not the last time that we visit linkwood . . .
smooth and medium bodied , linkwood single malt scotch whisky is a hidden speyside treasure , full of the characteristic fruit and flower scents of the region .
well known to whisky connoisseurs , linkwood is most commonly seen as an independent bottling , as owners diageo only rarely issue official releases . discover more »
linkwood is another of the light speyside camp . the new make has the aroma of a spring meadow – mixing cut grass , apple and peach blossom .
it was completely rebuilt in 1874 by his son william and existed as an independent distiller , run by an elgin - based whisky broker , until 1932 when it joined the dcl stable . it has remained in production ever since , with regular upgrades taking place , most significantly in 1972 when a new distillery was built opposite the old buildings .
located on the outskirts of elgin ( though now within its ever - growing suburbs ) linkwood was established in 1821 , but only started production in 1824 . owner peter brown was the factor [ manager ] of the linkwood estate and wisely kept his nose clean until the 1823 excise act was on the stature book .
linkwood always evokes thoughts of sweetmeats , sometimes delicate , on other occasions more robust . this is in the latter mood : down - to - earth sweetness .
2 ) robert innes cameron ( manager and later owner of linkwood between 1902 and 1932 ) also owned three other malt whisky distilleries : benrinnes , tamdhu and teaninich .
the introduction of the new washbacks and additional two stills has raised linkwood ' s annual production capacity to 5 . 6 million litres . the pair of stills were originally connected to a wormtub condenser in the old section of the distillery and produced a different style of spirit as a result . in the new extension they are using column condensers and thermal imaging equipment was used to make sure that they were mimicking the performance of the other four stills . the result is that all three pairs of stills now produce light , grassy spirit .
there’s just a hint of smoke in amongst linkwood’s verdant garden . it’s this cigar - box tang which signals the complexity and depth held within , and keeps the drinker coming back for more .
26 year old linkwood single malt , aged in a sherry wood cask from december 1989 to january 2016 . this mackillop ' s choice bottling was a release of just 180 bottles . more info
a brilliant write - up , guys . having pedalled through the laich of moray last week i can confirm that it is ideal distilling country ( i passed benriach , longmorn , and brackla but didn ' t spot linkwood ) . the 12yo is not one i ' ve had for a while but remains a firm speyside favourite . really delightfully fruity and poised . i think it ' s great to have more detail on blogs such as this one about the recent expansion programmes and what they do to the ' feel ' of a distillery . you tackled this modern trend within the industry very astutely over the course of the piece . bravo !
a single cask bottling of 20 year old linkwood single malt , distilled in june 1997 and bottled in march 2018 . yet another smashing release from signatory ' s cask strength collection . 226 bottles were… more info
5 ) the linkwood malt whisky is used in important diageo blends like johnnie walker and white horse , but a lot of it ends up in the blended whiskies of other whisky blenders and bottlers as well .
lighter than light linkwood is a malt beloved by blenders , and this cadenhead - bottled 24 year old expression doesn’t deviate from the delicious norm – but it does ramp up the fruit . this one is… more info
a duncan taylor bottling of 26 year old linkwood single malt , drawn from cask # 5046 . this was distilled in october 1990 and allowed to age for just over quarter of a century before being bottled in… more info
a strictly limited linkwood , independently bottled by càrn mòr . this was distilled in 2006 and matured in a pair of hogshead casks for 11 years , until they were cracked open in 2017 . 830 bottles were… more info
an 11 year old single malt from linkwood , independently bottled by the folks from claxton ' s . this was distilled in 2006 and set aside to age in a single bourbon hogshead before being bottled at cask… more info
a 20 year old single malt from linkwood , aged in a refill hogshead from june 1997 until august 2017 . following that . douglas laing came along and bottled it up for their old particular range . only… more info
from the long - running old malt cask indie bottling range comes a 20 year old linkwood single malt , matured in a single refill hogshead from june 1997 to august 2017 . a release of 297 bottles from… more info
a chorlton whisky bottling of linkwood single malt , matured in a hogshead cask for 11 years . it was bottled at cask strength , with only 49 bottles produced . a snowy scene appears on the label - … more info
18 year old single malt from linkwood , independently bottled by the single cask ( not only are they indie bottlers - they have their own whisky bar in singapore ! ) . this was distilled in june 1995 and… more info
4 ) linkwood is one of a few distilleries that has two different still houses - not unlike balvenie and macallan . the second still house was constructed in 1971 and the original still house has not been used since 1996 .
a 26 year old single cask linkwood , bottled by bartels whisky for their highland laird range . it was distilled in 1989 and left to age in a bourbon hogshead for 26 years , when it was then bottled at… more info
next stop was the still room , which is now an l - shape following the addition of the recent extension . the new section is home to one pair of stills , which were actually previously housed in the old part of the distillery that was knocked down during the renovation . these had not been used since the mid - 1990s . the older section has two further pairs of stills and the two parts have been integrated in such a way that it feels like it has always been like that .
if you were ever going to bottle a 42 year old single malt scotch whisky from linkwood of natural colour and at a cask strength 40 . 9 % abv , you could only ever release it in a range called the cask… more info
released as part of diageo ' s rare malts range , a 26 year old bottling , distilled in 1975 . a rare speyside malt from linkwood . this bottle was part of a private collection - if you ' d like more… more info
linkwood 17yo 1990 / 2008 ( 48 % , adelphi , c # 9734 , 204 bts . ) nose : fruity , honeyed and a little flowery . the faintest whiff of oil perhaps ? pleasant , but little more . taste : dry and a little gritty . a faint sweetness in the background . a hint of liquorice in the medium dry finish . score : 81 points - this is a sister cask to last year ' s linkwood c # 9733 from adelphi , but not quite as impressive .
linkwood is bottled as a 12 - year - old in diageo’s flora & fauna range , and for many years quasi - official bottlings have come from gordon & macphail of elgin – often from ex - sherry casks . other independent bottlings appear fairly regularly .
it ' s the second batch of linkwood bottled by that boutique - y whisky company ! that chap on the label is fixing trigger ' s broom , which he got a medal for - he ' s been using the same broom for 20 years . … more info
upon moving to the washback area , we took a detour in to the operations office . this was built last year as part of the distillery expansion and from here the entire production site can technically be monitored by one person , although more are employed at the site . what was slightly reassuring was that despite all of the technology , much of the paperwork still has to be recorded by hand for inspection by the customs & excise department . tun room no . 1 has five washbacks , each of which can hold up to 57 , 000 litres of wort and taking around four and a half hours to fill each one .
the mash room is actually part of a much bigger open plan room that also house five fermentation washbacks and an operations office . this is the old part of the current distillery , which was built in the early 1970s . the mash tun is quite new and was installed in 2011 . it holds 12 . 5 tonnes of grist and they use three waters to extract as many of the soluble sugars from it as possible . each water is added at an increased temperature ( 68°c , then 76°c and finally 86°c ) to achieve this . an interesting stat from eric at this point was that each mash will end up producing 12 , 500 bottles of whisky .
linkwood 11yo 1984 / 1996 ( 43 % , signatory vintage , butt # 5458 ) . nose : mellow and slightly grainy . warm milk with a dash of aniseed ? peaches . definitely not from a fresh sherry butt , but it ' s quite pleasant and accessible . more and more organics with time - and maybe a hint of smoke ? a little bit simple taste : fruity and slightly dusty with a very faint hint of perfume . a little bitter . it doesn ' t take very long to grow drier , flatter and smokier . loses points here . score : 79 points - not terribly complex and the palate of this linkwood keeps it from the 80 ' s .
these were not all ( official & independent ) bottlings of linkwood scotch whisky i ' ve tried over the years . besides , these tasting notes only reflect my own , personal opinion ; your tastes might be different from mine . fortunately , you can find the scores and tasting notes from up to two dozen other whisky lovers in the ' malt maniacs monitor ' - an independent whisky database with details on more than 15 , 000 different whiskies from scotland and the rest of the world . visit the linkwood page on the mmmonitor and select ' scorecard view ' if you want to know how other whisky lovers felt about the dozens of linkwood expressions that were released in recent years . however , if you ' d like to learn more about whisky in general ( and single malt scotch whisky in particular ) , you might want to check out the beginner ' s guide to scotch whisky ( 10 chapters filled with everything you need to fully enjoy and appreciate a glass of single malt whisky ) or the malmanac ( sort of a rudimentary whisky shopping guide . )
2008 - three different official bottlings of linkwood are released . the peculiar thing is that all three are ' finished ' malt whiskies ( a second maturation in casks that previously contained rum , port and ' sweet red wine ' ) and especially that these ' finishes ' lasted for 14 years - longer than the initial maturation . the fact that diageo was able to release these in meaningful quantities gives us an interesting insight in the expectations of the management at the time . 2009 - the bottom of one of the spirit stills is replaced . 2011 - production at linkwood ceased for four months , from march to july , for refurbishment and replacements . parts of the wash stills are replaced and a new stainless steel mash tun is installed .
linkwood 13yo 1990 / 2003 ( 43 % , jack wiebers whisky world , castle collection , c # 1922 ) nose : light and quite grainy - very similar to the teaninich 10yo at first . as i suspected , quite boring . after a minute some very faint spices emerge . then something oily and ' farty ' as well . rice crackers ? the oily component definitely grows stronger with time , but so do the organics , adding one or two points . taste : malty and quite bitter . feels a tad syrupy . no obvious flaws , but nothing to sing about either . score : 73 points - quite boring like the teaninich 10yo , but that one has a sunnier disposition . this linkwood needs at least fifteen minutes before some sort of personality starts to develop .
linkwood has long been prized by blenders , and the vast majority of production goes into diageo ' s johnnie walker and white horse blends . the standard expression is the flora and fauna 12yo , but this was joined in the official bottlings in 2008 by three double - matured versions that had spent their last 14 years of maturation in port , rum and red wine casks . independent bottlings are relatively common and are frequently excellent value .
linkwood 12yo 1990 / 2003 ( 46 % , hart bros , sherry cask ) nose : aaaah . old , dry , good sherry . amontillado ? leans very much towards ' farmy ' . complex organics . an absolutely smashing nose - this one really takes no prisoners . that being said , it seems to run out of steam after fifteen minutes . something metallic ? taste : very sherried . winey & woody . tannins . very extreme - a tad too much so ? smokier over time . very dry . no sweetness at all . not quite as enjoyable as the nose . score : 86 points - it ' s not often that i encounter a malt whisky that ' s too sherried for me . i adore the profile of the nose of this linkwood ( especially the ' farmy ' twist ) but it ' s a bit too much . . .
linkwood 15yo ( 43 % , gordon & macphail licensed bottling , bottled + / - 2010 ) nose : concentrated strawberries and animal feed . lovely complexity and evolution , but light at the same time . taste : fruity and smooth with some organics lurking in the background . smoke . great , medium sweet finish . score : 88 points - wow , this is a really fantastic batch of this old favourite . it developed an attitude !
linkwood 1989 / 2004 ( 43 % , the spirit safe , 385 bottles ) nose : light and grainy . vaguely fruity . prickly in the top of my nose . a bit weak . it opens up a little after a minute . much , much more character after a while . barley and other ' good grains ' . some light fruity notes as well . pears and plums . over time it showed lots of unique organics , almost lifting it into the upper 80 ' s . taste : fairly weak start followed my a perfumy phase . a fleeting flash of sweetness . it ' s not quite sweet enough for my tastes and grows a tad uneven towards the finish . score : 83 points - this whisky had some strange personality deficits , but lots of character . this linkwood is still not too impressive on the palate , but i can live with that because of the nose .
linkwood 16yo 1990 / 2007 ( 49 , 3 % , adelphi , c # 9733 , 269 bts . ) nose : spicy & fruity start , settling down quickly . gooseberries ? then sharper alcoholic aromas appear , evolving into greater complexity . taste : starts out on the oily side , then a short herbal episode , then a long sweet centre . hint of liquorice . score : 85 points - this one needed time to reach a recommendation for silver in the malt maniacs awards .
the whisky produced at linkwood is used across diageo ' s extensive portfolio of blended whiskies , particularly in the famous johnnie walker range . it is also highly sought after by other blending companies and features in numerous well known brands . single malts are rare as a result and only 1 - 2 % of warehoused stock is released as such . it is largely confined to the independent bottling companies . the only current official release is a 12 years old expression , which forms part of their
when mature , however , although linkwood ' s freshness is retained the palate reveals a thick texture which slows the whisky down in the mouth . it is this combination of texture and delicacy which makes it prized by blenders – and much loved by malt whisky aficionados . the fragrance is achieved by creating very clear wort , having a very long fermentation and distilling ( slowly to maximise copper conversation ) in pairs of stills in which the spirit is larger than the wash , allowing even more copper contact .
linkwood 16yo 1990 / 2007 ( 58 . 7 % , single malts of scotland , sherry hogshead , c # 5038 , 283 bts . ) nose : a classic sherried profile . some vague musty notes in the background . a pinch of sulphur ? taste : big , chewy and fruity . hot start , cool centre . a lovely evolving sweetness . a tad gritty in the finish . score : 89 points - but it definitely needs a few drops of water to polish off the rougher edges .
linkwood 12yo 1989 / 2002 ( 59 . 2 % , blackadder raw cask , c # 5624 ) at almost 60 % , any bottle i would have tried after this would have suffered from its ' shadow ' . nose : very rich and spicy . mocca ? then more developing organics . clay ? chalk ? rotting fruits - something ' fermenty ' . complex , but it seems deceptively simple . very interesting and quite complex , but it shows hardly any development over time . with water it mellowed out a bit . the mocca and coffee notes were brought forward . wait , now it opens up . maggi and oriental spices . this one earns an extra point here . taste : sweet and powerful . fruity . a great mouth feel , but few lasting impressions . adding water didn ' t improve the palate of this whisky - it turned dry and quite bitter . too bad . score : 86 points - this linkwood is quite an amazing drams that shows just a few ' flaws ' .
the new 2013 extension is partly home to tun room no . 2 - this is home to six further washbacks and each is the same size as the originals . in both cases 205 litres of creamed yeast is added to the wort and this allows fermentation to begin quickly . the fermentation time is around the 75 hour mark and this helps to create the grassy and floral notes that makes linkwood so desirable amongst whisky blenders . the new extension has a more clinical feel to it but somehow seems to retain the character of the older section .
linkwood 1991 / 2005 ( 46 % , wilson & morgan , sherry wood ) nose : sherry . polished . fruity . spices are next . an upbeat malt . hint of balsamic vinegar in the background . more serious with time ; organics . polished . great development over time ; growing complexity . hint of sulphur ? taste : not as cheerful as the nose . sherry . little sweetness . hint of liquorice . quite dry . some tannins . score : 88 points - but the lovely nose warrants a score well in the 90 ' s . the best of speyside & spain .
linkwood 36yo 1973 / 2010 ( 50 , 4 % , the nectar daily dram , belgium ) nose : passion fruit . hmm . lots of passion fruit . perhaps too much , drifting in the perfumy part of the spectrum . over time some minty notes emerge . liquorice all sorts ? still , the perfumy remains a distracting influence for me . taste : very sweet and fruity start , followed by some organics . plastic ? beer ? more pleasant than the nose . score : 84 points - which is an average of ( initially ) an upper 70 ' s nose and an upper 80 ' s palate .
linkwood 21yo 1989 / 2011 ( 61 . 7 % , signatory vintage for lmdw , sherry butt , c # 3207 , 303 bts . ) nose : a lovely sherried profile , leaning to the sweet side . raisins . turkish delight . blackberry jam . prunes ? after a few minutes the occasional whiff of organics . quite a sting in the nose at cask strength . tea leaves . palate : the sherried profile on the palate matches that of the nose perfectly . quite dry . fairly mild tannins . score : 89 points - with a little more tannins in the finish ( i like those ! ) it would have reached the 90 ' s .
linkwood 19yo 1989 / 2009 ( 53 . 5 % , the clydesdale , cask ref 0034 / 1841 , 209 bts . ) nose : light and fruity ; slightly citrussy . odd fruits . some subtle organics emerge after a few minutes . however , the organics can ' t keep the score in the 80 ' s . somehow , this seems like a wine finished whisky . taste : very smooth start ; quite sweet . peanuts ? dry , gritty centre . harsh , bitter finish . hint of perfume ? score : 79 points - this doesn ' t really feel like a malt whisky that ' s almost twenty years old . a tired cask ?
linkwood 12yo 1988 / 2000 ( 43 % , sigv , sherry butt # 2790 , d . 31 / 05 / 1988 , b . 24 / 10 / 2000 , 912 bottles ) nose : sweetish and a little fruity . sweet malt and a hint of dust , just like a handful of malted barley . nice . it grows a little ' dirtier ' over time . i imagine this is easy to drink by the bottle . not overly complex , though . taste : bittersweet fruity burn . more orangy bitterness later on . chewy fruits at the end of the long finish . score : 78 points - a very decent single malt , and one that grows much more interesting with time .
linkwood 1973 ( 49 . 7 % , twe fine old malt whisky , bourbon cask matured , bottled + / - 2010 ) nose : polished and slightly fruity , with a surprising hint of peat in the background . some sharp spices . curry ? mustard ? lovely evolution over time as well , but it remains beautifully balanced . shortage of personality ? taste : perfectly drinkable at almost 50 % abv . or should i say perfectly chewable ? lots of tannins present . a fairly smooth start with lots of wood , growing much hotter in the centre . cools down in the tannic finish . score : 89 points - a perfect example of a complex , finely aged malt whisky without any rough edges .
linkwood 11yo 1988 / 2000 ( 43 % , sigv , sherry butt # 2786 , d . 31 / 05 / 1988 , b . 06 / 01 / 2000 , 932 bottles ) nose : a big sherry monster . lovely organics . toffee ? oh yeah , i love these extreme sherry monsters . . . taste : phew ! big sherry attack ! smoke ? cool and minty in the centre , dry and woody in the long finish . extreme . quite a contrast with c # 2790 ( see below ) on the palate . that one is arguably better balanced . . . score : 83 points - i adore the xlnt nose but it ' s not convincing enough on the palate for the upper 80 ' s .
linkwood 1990 / 2009 ( 45 % , gordon & macphail for la maison du whisky , cask # 6964 ) nose : heavy with fruits , chocolate and some coffee . burnt coffee beans ? hints of spices & something meaty . sulphur . a pleasant enough profile , but it somehow feels forced and a little artificial . too much of a good thing ? after circa thirty minutes the spices have become the most important element in the bouquet . taste : smoky , woody and quite flat - not nearly as good as the nose . syrupy and quite drinkable , though . smoky , bitter finish - a tad too extreme to end up in the upper 80 ' s . they went a little too far with this one ? score : 82 points - there ' s a hint of sulphur in the nose , but it ' s so subtle that i don ' t mind too much . in fact , if it wasn ' t for the ' embargo ' on mm awards scores , i ' d increase mine to 83 or 84 points . . .
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a whole garden of fruit and flower scents in a smooth , long , complex speyside of distinction .
the more you taste , the more you find , the greater the rewards .
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copyright © the whisky exchange 1999 - 2018 . all rights reserved . the whisky exchange is the registered trademark of speciality drinks limited . registered in england and wales ( company no . 4449145 ) . registered office : elixir house , whitby avenue , park royal , london nw10 7sf , uk .
both plants ran until 1985 when the original ceased production , although it was still used as an experimental site – it was here that a lot of diageo’s research into copper , reflux and the effect of worm tubs took place . in the late 1990s it was on the shortlist to become the speyside representative in the classic malts range .
a sister brand to abbot’s choice , chequers was an occasional deluxe blend from john mcewan & co .
a sherry matured , 36 year old single malt , distilled in 1946 and bottled by gordon and macphail . more info
innes cameron , a whisky trader from elgin , joins the board and eventually becomes the major shareholder and director .
reproduced from the malt whisky yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of mr ingvar ronde .
are approximate , and should be used for illustrative purposes only . all prices are in gbp and all orders are charged in gbp . the order total – the amount you will actually be charged – will be displayed in gbp before you place your order .
copyright © 2018 master of malt . all rights reserved . atom supplies limited , trading as master of malt . registered office : unit 1 , ton business park , 2 - 8 morley road , tonbridge , kent , tn9 1ra . registered in england & wales . company number 3193057 , vat number gb 662241553 .
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now you can find both of john rose ' s superb articles about collecting whisky in one place . in collections , he looks at some of the latest bottles to come up at auction . in questions , he fields your enqu . . .
a good example of bourbon cask maturation ( a refill ? ) . there is a constant bitterness but it is quite refreshing , like a grapefruit . a few drops of water bring out a sweet note .
? that sweet fruit note persists . mango coulis , more runny honey , peaches and cream . it has an almost liqueur like cling to the palate . vanilla and nutmeg .
a classic malty beast . well balanced . a winter warmer to enjoy with nuts and crispy nibbles .
that malt could easily be thrown in a calvados blind tasting , with aged oaky individuals .
a dour character which lifts up on the nose but not on the palate .
a strange fellow . as if all was delivered in a dash . then the finish seems to never end .
a bourbon cask maturation followed by a rum finish ? take your time to enjoy this sunny dram . really subtle .
oak is leading the way but in an elegant way . a very spicy dram . to be matched with a beef stroganoff maybe .
i couldn ' t decide if this lacked a little , or was just subtle . pleasing enough , aging with prettiness , but didn ' t do enough for me .
big cask character , with spirit style just poking through . the spirit seemed at odds with the cask perhaps .
this is a wonderful bottling . it has the suave and brooding character of mr fox in jemima puddleduck .
the aromatics are almost railroaded by the spices… but not quite . in the end , it comes up smelling of roses .
whisky magazine is published / organised by paragraph publishing ltd copyright © 1999 - 2018 do not copy or reproduce content from this web site without permission .
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bottled from refill american oak hogsheads and refill european oak butts filled in 1978 . a total of 6 , 114 individually numbered bottles were released as part of diageo’s 2016 . . .
if you’re a big gin drinker you’ll probably sit up when you hear that it was originally popularised due to its diuretic qualities . modern day london
gins are basically neutral spirit flavoured , either by compounding or distillation , with juniper and various other seeds , berries , roots , fruits and herbs .
musicians used to be judged on their record sales . today digital downloads are the measure of a musician’s popularity . similarly , 20 years ago when i
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a few weeks ago we headed north and paid a visit to the annual spirit of speyside festival . one of the highlights of our trip was a special tour , which is only run once a year during the festival , called
the view from the new tun room is also one of the highlights of the tour . one side gives a view over the limited number of warehouses that remain on the site , but the real gem is from the other side . this gives a perfect elevated view of the old pagoda and malting buildings , which are now also used for warehousing . eric tells us that pagoda is actually called a doig ventilator , after its victorian creator charles doig . the architect , who designed numerous distilleries in the speyside region , drew inspiration from japanese architecture to create the iconic symbol of many distilleries . the function was to draw air and smoke through the drying malt in the kiln , which would have a fire at its base .


the at hop card is an electronic fare payment card that was released in two versions on auckland public transport services , beginning in may 2011 .

the smart card roll out was the first phase in the introduction of an integrated ticketing and fares system ( auckland integrated fares system , or " aifs " ) that is being rolled out across the region .

the first iteration of the card – commonly referred to as the " purple hop card " – was discontinued in 2012 because of issues with the delivery of key technologies .

the current card , called the at hop card , is in use on all ferry , train and bus services in auckland .

the rollout of the card to all three transport modes was completed in march 2014 .

the at hop card is a dark blue credit-card-sized stored-value contactless smartcard that can hold prepaid funds ( called hop money ) to pay for fares or monthly passes for unlimited travel within one or more of three " transport zones " .

either facility must be added to the card before travel .

passengers " tag on " and " tag off " their card on electronic terminals when entering and leaving the transport system in order to validate it or deduct funds .

cards may be " topped-up " or monthly passes purchased in the following ways : online , at ticket machines , at ticketing offices , and at selected retail outlets such as bookshops .

top ups may be made by credit or debit card , with the latter three mediums accepting cash payment .

the card is designed to reduce the number of transactions at ticket offices and the number of paper tickets .

usage is encouraged by offering cheaper fares than the cash ticket option , although there is an initial once-only fee to purchase the card .

monthly and/or multiple trip travel is only available with the at hop card .

the card can be used only for fare payments and only on auckland transport routes ; it can not be used to pay for refreshments or other items .

it can not be used to pay for travel on the northern explorer passenger train running between auckland and wellington or on inter-city bus services .

at hop card

find an at hop retailer to buy or top - up your at hop card .
13 . at hop card transfer : where you lawfully hold an at hop card , you may ( unless the at hop card is a registered at hop card ) permanently give that at hop card to another person and we will treat the new holder of the at hop card as the lawful holder , and he or she will be bound by these terms .
14 . at hop card return : we may at any time require you to return your at hop card in a manner notified by us . if this happens , we will replace your at hop card with a new at hop card having equivalent products loaded on it .
find an at hop retailer to buy or top up your at hop card . list of at hop retailers by auckland region or find on the map .
register your at hop card to your myat hop account to view your transactions online .
how to use your at hop card on public transport and all about managing your card .
44 . identification : retail agents can be identified by their display of an at hop is sold here sign . you should only present your at hop card when you see the at hop sign . if you present your at hop card at readers that do not show the at hop acceptance sign , this may damage the at hop card ( refer to sections 16 and 17 ) .
9 . expiry : the at hop card ( including any hop money or products loaded on the at hop card ) will expire if the at hop card is not used , no refund is requested , the at hop card is cancelled , or no products are loaded onto the at hop card for a continuous period of six years . when an at hop card expires , any hop money or products remaining on the at hop card will be forfeited and become our property on and from the date the at hop card is cancelled . in this instance you may contact us and we will put hop money on to another at hop card purchased by you . the amount of hop money we put on the new card will be equal to :
auckland transport have sold their millionth at hop card . at hop is a smart card which can be used for bus , rail and ferry travel throughout auckland .
find out about the savings you can make by using an at hop card .
find out if you can lend your at hop card for others to use .
bus and train fare prices for travel using cash or an at hop card .
23 . if you use hop money on your at hop card to pay for a paper ticket this will be charged at the applicable advertised cash fare , not the advertised at hop fare .
28 . obligation to examine : you must check the at hop card on purchase or issue and on each addition or subtraction of products to the at hop card .
find out different ways to add money to your at hop card by topping up .
16 . 1 . your responsibility : you are responsible for safeguarding your at hop card against loss , damage , and theft , and ensuring that your at hop card is not used by any person without your permission ( or by any person other than you in the case of a registered at hop card ) . 16 . 2 . our responsibility : we and the public transport operators accepting your at hop card for payment for public transport journeys have no obligation to prevent the use of a lost or stolen at hop card by a person . we also have no obligation to cancel any lost or stolen at hop card ( whether a registered at hop card or not ) or to transfer the products on that lost or stolen at hop card to a replacement at hop card .
you can buy your blue at hop card online or in person . you can only buy the gold at hop card in person and only if you are eligible for one .
17 . 1 . there are 2 types of non - functioning at hop cards : 17 . 1 . 1 . faulty cards : at hop cards which fail to function as the result of an inherent manufacturing defect or other technical fault or defect ; and 17 . 1 . 2 . damaged cards : at hop cards which fail to function for any other reason , such as physical damage . 17 . 2 . please bring your non - functioning at hop card into an at customer service centre . we shall investigate and determine whether a non - functioning at hop card is a faulty card or a damaged card . 17 . 3 . we will not be responsible or liable for replacing any non - functioning at hop card except where we determine that the at hop card it is a faulty card . 17 . 4 . if the at hop card is a faulty card we will retain the card and issue a replacement at hop card free of charge . we will also transfer any hop money and / or products from the non - functioning at hop card to such replacement at hop card .
register your at hop card to help protect your card from unauthorised use should it be lost or stolen , and to manage your card online .
find out how you can pay for more than one person with your at hop card .
find out about buying a card online , or places you can go to buy a blue or gold at hop card .
find out how to buy a blue at hop card online and have it mailed to you .
find out your nearest retail locations where you can buy a blue or gold at hop card .
at hop card must be registered to apply for a discount concession , if you are eligible .
the at hop card will eventually be used for travel on all forms of auckland public transport .
10 . suspension : we may suspend any at hop card or at hop online account ( online account ) if you breach any of these terms and such breach amounts to what at determines to be fraud or fare evasion . in the event that we suspend any at hop card or online account :
* you can read the full terms of use of the at hop cards , the registered prospectus relating to the at hop cards and other information regarding the at hop cards on our website or at the transport information centre , britomart . the obligations of auckland transport under the at hop cards are unsecured . urltoken
it added these lines :
to reactivate this top up at any time you can contact us and we will put the hop money back on your at hop card . again , you have 60 days from the date that hop money is put back on your at hop card to activate it .
at hop allows customers to use one travel card on different modes of transport and public transport operators .
mr edmonds says , “the next phase in the integrated ticketing project is at hop on ferries by the end of november 2012 with at hop rolling out on buses next year . for a few months nz bus users who also use trains will use both the hop / snapper card and an at hop card . the hop / snapper card will be phased out next year” .
20 . registered at hop cards only : you acknowledge and agree that the cancellation and transfer options set out in sections 18 and 19 are available only for registered at hop cards . if your at hop card is not registered , then it cannot be cancelled and no hop money and / or products can be transferred or refunded to you if your at hop card is lost or stolen
33 . interest : no interest will be payable to you in relation to any products loaded on any at hop card . all interest earned in relation to hop money and / or products loaded on any at hop card will remain our property .
repeatedly failing to tag on and tag off may result in your card being cancelled . if your card is cancelled you will need to purchase a replacement at hop card .
help protect the balance on your at hop card should it be lost or stolen , allowing it to be transferred to a new card .
your hop card can be used for other purchases alongside your bus fare . more details about what the card can be used for are on the hop card website .
at hop cards will be ferry friendly by the end of november and on buses next year . the at hop card will be used in conjunction with the old hop / snapper card on auckland ' s buses until the old system is phased out .
the at hop card has a non - refundable purchase cost of $ 10 , but use of the card also gives customers an automatic discount of at least 10 percent on full fares .
we would like you to know that our at hop terms of use have changed as of 22 may 2018 . find out about the changes and read the at hop card terms of use .
46 . at hop privacy policy : where we collect personal information from or about you in order to provide you with a registered at hop card or through your use of an at hop card , the at hop privacy policy available on our website will apply . for an explanation of our practices and policies relating to the collection , use , and storage of your personal information , please refer to the at hop privacy policy , which forms part of these terms .
ten dollars will get you one hop card that can be bought at britomart , newmarket and new lynn transport centres .
8 . 1 . you agree that risk of loss or damage to an at hop card that you have purchased , or a replacement at hop card provided in accordance with these terms , will pass to you on your receipt of that at hop card ; 8 . 2 . you carry and use an at hop card at your own risk , and we will not be responsible for any interference or damage suffered by , or to , any electronic device which occurs as a result of your carrying or using an at hop card ; 8 . 3 . we retain the right to manage and change the software and data on the at hop cards at any time ; and 8 . 4 . on demand by any employee or representative of us or of any retail agent or public transport operator at any time , you must produce for inspection all at hop cards in your possession or control .
9 . 1 . the hop money balance ; and 9 . 2 . the value ( at the time of purchase ) of any inactivated products ; that was on the expired card immediately before it expired . please note that for an unregistered at hop card that has expired , we will need you to present the expired card at an at customer service centre .
18 . 1 . if a registered at hop card is lost or stolen , you may ask us to cancel your at hop card by : 18 . 1 . 1 . calling us on 09 366 4hop ( 09 366 4467 ) . you will also be required to supply your at hop card number , full name , and answer some security questions ; and 18 . 1 . 2 . returning the at hop card to the address that we notify to you , to enable us to determine whether section 17 ( non - functioning at hop cards ) of these terms applies . 18 . 2 . on your registered at hop card you may apply for a refund in accordance with section 11 or apply for a transfer of any residual products on the registered at hop card in accordance with section 19 .
“at hop cards can be topped up at ticket & top - up machines or ticket offices on the rail network . from 27 october 2012 you will also be able to top up your card online . at hop cards are currently available for half price at a limited time , special introductory offer of five dollars at britomart , newmarket , papakura and new lynn offices and from mobile sales representatives at stations . information can be found at urltoken .
of course the current hop card is nothing more than a snapper card in drag , and clearly snapper haven ' t been able to make their card compliant with the hop system .
find out what you need and where you can buy a gold at hop card if you ' re a supergold cardholder .
2 . terms : all at hop cards are issued subject to , and must be used in accordance with , these terms . by purchasing or using an at hop card , you accept all of these terms .
hop cards can be loaded with up to $ 300 in e - money so users are encouraged to protect their balance by registering their card at the hop website .
the at hop cards will be introduced on ferries next month , and will be phased in to replace the hop / snapper card for buses from april next year .
at hop group manager , denise verrall , said surveys indicated 42 per cent of auckland adults had a card as of june .
12 . other rights : we may refuse to provide any information to you in relation to any at hop card if you do not provide us with all reasonably requested information for the purpose of verifying your identity as the lawful holder of the at hop card .
15 . 1 . we may offer you services enabling you to register your at hop card on our website , in which case you will need to provide your personal information ( such as your name , date of birth , email address , physical address and telephone number ) against the registered at hop card number . 15 . 2 . you must not allow your registered at hop card to be used by another person . if your registered at hop card is found in the possession of a person other than yourself , we ( and the retail agents and public transport operators ) reserve the right to retain that at hop card . 15 . 3 . you must ensure your contact and payment details on our website for your registered at hop card are kept up to date and correct .
21 . use : subject to specific at hop card functionality , and retail agent and public transport operator availability ( as applicable ) , you may use the at hop card to pay for public transport journeys provided by public transport operators in accordance with these terms .
43 . 1 . sell at hop cards to customers ; 43 . 2 . load hop money and sell products to customers ; and
5 . 1 . use the at hop card only in accordance with these terms ; 5 . 2 . comply with all notices , policies , and instructions relating to the use of the at hop card , concessions and products that we may issue from time to time ; 5 . 3 . provide us with any information and assistance that we may reasonably request relating to the issue , use , suspension , and cancellation of the at hop card ; 5 . 4 . tag on at the beginning of your trip and tag off at the end of your trip ; 5 . 5 . take proper care of the at hop card to avoid damage including keeping the at hop card flat and not bending it ( as that may damage the at hop card ) ; 5 . 6 . not misuse , deface , modify , or destroy , the at hop card ; 5 . 7 . not tamper , or allow anyone else to tamper , with the at hop card ; 5 . 8 . ensure that if carrying two or more cards together that only one is used at a time and that the same card is used to tag on and tag off for each trip and journey ; 5 . 9 . not alter , remove , or replace any notices , trade marks , or artwork on the at hop card ; and 5 . 10 . when using an at hop card loaded with a concession , carry a further form of identification to prove your eligibility for that concession . information about concessions and their eligibility criteria is available from at . govt . nz .
auckland transport has completed the rollout of at hop , its reusable pre - pay smart card for travel on trains , ferries and buses .
7 . co - operation : you agree to co - operate with us and , if applicable , the police , in recovering your at hop card if it is lost or stolen , or if we suspect any suspicious behaviour or activity in relation to your at hop card .
4 . 1 . period pass : a pass credit loaded onto an at hop card allowing you to have unlimited journeys within a number of days ( period pass ) . 4 . 2 . hop money : stored money value loaded onto an at hop card ( hop money ) , which can be used to purchase public transport journeys or paper tickets for public transport journeys ;
all aboard : auckland ' s new at hop cards can be used on trains from this weekend .
”we also advise you to register your at hop card . registering gives you benefits such as the ability to better protect your card from unauthorised use should it be lost or stolen only after advising at of the loss . it also protects the balance you have stored on your card and allows it to be transferred to a new card .
please note that your at hop card , and any value loaded on it , will expire if the card is not used , no refund is requested , the card is cancelled , or no hop money or monthly pass value is loaded onto it for a continuous period of six years . when your card expires , any value remaining on it will be forfeited and becomes the property of auckland transport . if this happens , you may contact us and we will transfer any hop money or the hop money equivalent of the product price at the time of purchase of any inactivated products to another at hop card purchased by you .
the card can be topped up at machines and ticket offices around the network as well as online .
eventually , the at hop card will become the sole smart card for all travel on public transport in auckland . but to begin with , its use will be limited to the city’s trains .
click on
myat hop cards
and select the card you want to top up .
one hundred and forty five at hop card readers , 60 ticket & top - up machines and 29 gates are now spread across auckland’s rail network .
30 . 1 . all transaction details , trip details , and other details recorded as a result of you using your at hop card will be recorded and retained by us . after you deposit hop money or products on your at hop card , we will update the at hop card balance to reflect that deposit : 30 . 1 . 1 . immediately , if you add products to your at hop card at our offices , via a retail agent , at an at customer service centre , or using a top up machine ; or 30 . 1 . 2 . immediately , if you have established an auto top - up facility in accordance with section 22 . 2 . in this case the direct debit payment instruction will be triggered , once the specified minimum balance has been reached and your at hop card has been automatically reloaded ; or 30 . 1 . 3 . at the next tag on event once we receive payment for the products into our bank account ( usually the next business day after your online transaction is processed ) if you add hop money and / or products to your at hop card using our website . 30 . 2 . using your online account ( for registered at hop cards only ) , you will be able to view transaction history and trip details for each registered at hop card ( online transaction history ) for the preceding 3 months or preceding 60 transactions via our website . to obtain an online transaction history , you must first register your at hop card using our website . 30 . 3 . you will be able to check the balance of your at hop card via our website ( for registered at hop cards only ) , or at an at customer service centre or via retail agents or top up machines . 30 . 4 . we will endeavour to update the online transaction history at least once per day , however there may be delays in updating certain online transaction history , which may result in that information appearing in your online account one or more days after the journey took place ; and 30 . 5 . we may add or update any online transaction history at any time .
“tag on at the start of every trip by placing your at hop card flat and still to the reader or electronic gate . a simple beep and green light will show that you have tagged on successfully .
11 . 1 . if your at hop card is registered on our website ( registered at hop card ) , you may apply to cancel your at hop card and receive a refund of the remaining hop money on your at hop card within 14 days of your completed application being received . only unused hop money can be refunded . no refunds are available for paper tickets purchased . no refunds are available for period passes . any refund given by us is inclusive of any goods and services tax ( gst ) . 11 . 2 . you acknowledge and agree that the cancellation and refund option set out in section 11 . 1 is available only for registered at hop cards . if your at hop card is not registered , then no hop money can be refunded to you . 11 . 3 . for at hop cards : we may , in addition to any other remedy available to at , cancel any at hop card or online account if you breach any of these terms and such breach amounts to what at determines to be fraud or fare evasion . any products remaining on the at hop card on cancellation for breach of these terms will be forfeited and become our property . if the remaining balance is negative we retain the right to recover the negative balance and may engage a collection agency the cost of which the card holder shall be liable . 11 . 4 . for at hop cards loaded with supergold travel concession : tagging on and off when you travel is essential because the tag on and off locations allow at to accurately identify the subsidy that should be applied to the fare and claim that subsidy from the nz government . for this reason , we may cancel the card ( except where it has a monthly period pass loaded on it ) for repeated failure to tag on and off . we will attempt to contact you before such cancellation . in this instance you may contact us and we will transfer any hop money or the hop money equivalent of any inactivated products to another at hop card purchased by you .
mr edmonds says , “at hop will be your one smart card for travel on public transport around auckland . it is a convenient , re - useable smart card that stores value , either as money , or as a rail monthly pass . an at hop card operates via a simple tag on / tag off system when you board and disembark .
find out how to transfer your card balance to another card registered to the same account .
i am planning to visit auckland and read about the hop card . would appreciate feed back on the use of the card for tourists .
people who want to transfer funds from their go rider card to their new hop card will be able to do so before october 31 .
36 . product types : public transport operators may accept any product as available from time to time for public transport journeys using the at hop card . we may at any time add , remove or amend the products available using the at hop card . at reserves the right to limit the usage of these products whether by operator , mode , date or time . where possible , we will give you at least two weeks’ notice via the notice methods set out in section 39 .
there are currently more than 250 , 000 at hop cards being regularly used by customers around the region .
at hop cards can be used for bus , rail , and ferry transport in auckland . photo / file
to use the card , passengers ‘tag on’ at the start of a journey by presenting the card to an electronic reader or gate , and then ‘tag off’ by doing the same at the end of a trip .
the amount passengers save using their hop card varies depending on how many stages they are travelling .
37 . 1 . each time you add hop money to your at hop card , you must add a minimum of $ 5 ( incl . gst ) . you will only be able to add hop money equal to or above this minimum loadable value . 37 . 2 . the maximum amount of hop money that may be held on any at hop card is $ 300 ( incl . gst ) . 37 . 3 . notwithstanding section 26 ( right to refuse ) , public transport operators may permit you to commence a public transport journey , and to complete each trip of the journey , as long as there is a positive or $ 0 . 00 hop money balance on the at hop card for each leg of your journey . hop money contained on multiple at hop cards cannot be combined to pay a single fare .
19 . 1 . if you hold a registered at hop card that has been lost or stolen , you may request the transfer of any residual hop money and unused products from that at hop card to a replacement at hop card purchased by you . when you request a transfer of products : 19 . 1 . 1 . you must confirm the reason for the transfer ( e . g . lost or stolen at hop card ) ; 19 . 1 . 2 . we will do our best to promptly cancel the original registered at hop card ( if not already cancelled ) and we will transfer any residual products ( as at the time you requested the transfer ) to the replacement at hop card ; 19 . 1 . 3 . our determination as to the amount of hop money and / or products transferred to the replacement at hop card will be final and conclusive , but we reserve the right to make subsequent adjustments to that determination if we obtain transaction records which indicate that an adjustment is required to the amount of products transferred ; and 19 . 2 . a balance transfer can only be completed between two cards registered to the same account . balance transfers cannot be completed between two separate accounts , from a primary to a linked account or between active cards .
one hundred and forty five at hop card readers , 60 ticket and top - up machines and 29 gates are now spread across auckland ' s rail network .
6 . 1 . we ( or a retail agent or public transport operator ) suspect or have reason to believe has been fraudulently issued , stolen , tampered with , or used in breach of the terms ; or 6 . 2 . was not issued to the person presenting the at hop card ( in the case of registered at hop cards ) or which the person presenting the at hop card is otherwise not entitled to use .
60 . new zealand use only : the at hop cards are intended for use in auckland , new zealand .
26 . 1 . the at hop card is expired , suspended , or cancelled , whether or not notice is given to you regarding such expiry , suspension or cancellation ; 26 . 2 . we , a retail agent or a public transport operator suspect that the at hop card has been fraudulently issued , stolen , tampered with , or used , or that the at hop card may in any way pose a risk to the system ; 26 . 3 . the hop money or products on the at hop card are insufficient or have been exhausted ; 26 . 4 . the system is unable to process the payment for any reason whatsoever , or any circumstance arises which prevents a retail agent or a public transport operator from accepting or processing the at hop card as a means of payment ; or 26 . 5 . you do not comply with these terms .
“hop / snapper card users on nz bus services will continue to use their current cards until their cards will be swapped out for free next year . the new cards will be known as at / hop cards .
1 . scope : these terms of use ( terms ) govern your possession and use of hop smartcards and at hop key tags , ( together referred to as at hop cards ) issued by auckland transport ( we , us , our ) or our authorised agents ( retail agents ) as part of the auckland integrated fare system ( system ) . by purchasing , or using , an at hop card you agree to be bound by these terms .
use your at hop card to tag on before you board your train , ferry or bus , then tag off when you finish your trip . if you don’t tag on or tag off your at hop card you may be charged a default fare of up to $ 20 , depending on the service used or the distance travelled .
the mayor is describing the extension of the use of the at hop card to trains as another milestone towards the creation of a fully integrated transport system in auckland .
auckland rail passengers will be able to use the new ‘at hop’ smartcard to pay for train travel from this saturday .
after weeks of testing , the first stage of auckland ' s new public transport ticket system , the at hop card , will go live on city trains this weekend .
– there has been strong growth of card usage versus cash usage even in the two months that hop has been on nz bus services in auckland . at a high level , here’s the growth in card usage in each service , comparing the average of the first month’s card usage vs . card usage in the last week :
log in to your myat account and click on
myat hop cards
to view your card balances .
22 . 1 . you can add hop money and / or products to your at hop card at our offices , via retail agents , top up machines , by auto top up in accordance with section 22 . 2 ( for registered at hop cards ) , at at customer service centres or a one off top up via our website ( for registered at hop cards ) . products can be added to your at hop card an indefinite number of times unless the at hop card is reported stolen or lost , is expired , or is otherwise cancelled in accordance with these terms . 22 . 2 . you can add hop money to your registered at hop card automatically each specified period or each time the value of your hop money on your at hop card reaches a specified minimum level ( auto top up ) . to use auto top up on your at hop card , you : 22 . 2 . 1 . must provide us with details of the bank account or debit / credit card each auto top up is to be deducted from . where these details are provided online through the customer web portal , authority for us to undertake the auto top up is deemed to be granted once the payment means has been submitted by the customer ; 22 . 2 . 2 . must provide us with details of hop money threshold and value you wish to auto top up to your at hop card and when ; 22 . 2 . 3 . acknowledge that we will hold the information set out in section 22 . 2 . 1 and 22 . 2 . 2 on our system ; 22 . 2 . 4 . agree and acknowledge that you may not receive advance notice of direct debit / credit card payment in respect of each auto top up , but that we will notify you by email when the auto top up was triggered ; and 22 . 2 . 5 . agree that if a direct debit or credit card payment to us is dishonoured , rejected or we are otherwise unable to process the payment for any reason , we will attempt to process the direct debit or credit card payment again on two ( 2 ) occasions and if we are unable to process the payment three times , the top - up amount will be removed from your at hop card and the auto top - up will be cancelled .
sbiddle : hop is snapper at present , but once the thales system is in place it moves from snapper ' s jcop system to the thales mifare desfire system which means replacing every hop card . what a waste . governments for you .
at the same time it will double to 20 per cent the discount offered to passengers loading money on to its hop cards .
there’s a great discussion going on over at the auckland transport blog around some improvement’s that could be made to hop in auckland .
the card gives a discount of at least 20 per cent off single trip cash fares , excluding skybus and waiheke ferry services . when you tag - on with your at hop card it is read in a 300th of a milli - second .
paying with an at hop card allows customers to pay just once for a single journey , that can involve up to five bus or train trips over four hours , with a maximum transfer time of 30 minutes between each trip .
verrall said the uptake of the card has been very strong in auckland .
and the hop card will save passengers 50c on the new city link service which is being established later this year .
fare information for buses , trains and ferries . types of tickets , special passes , fare policies for discounted travel and using cash for single - trip paper tickets or an at hop card .
39 . 1 . you acknowledge that fares may change from time to time . hop money will be deducted at the fare , fee or rate in effect when the at hop card is used for a journey . at will give you at least two weeks’ notice of a fare change , where that fare change is instigated by us . a period pass that you have already commenced using prior to a fare change will be honoured at that pre - change price . 39 . 2 . at will also endeavour to give you at least two weeks’ notice of changes to timetables and routes . 39 . 3 . notice will be given through a range of media , including the at website , urltoken . customers with a registered at hop card and who have opted in to receive updates from us will also receive an email message advising such changes . 39 . 4 . information about the fares , routes , concessions , and other information relating to public transport journeys is available from urltoken
this means bus travellers already using the existing hop / snapper cards will have to keep hold of them – while also purchasing a new at hop card – if they want to immediately start tagging on and tagging off on both branches of the transport network .
find out what might be the cause if you have problems with your card , or if you have lost card .
52 . 1 . alter , remove , or obscure any copyright notice or other notice appearing on an at hop card ; or 52 . 2 . decompile , reverse engineer , decrypt , resell , distribute , reproduce , or modify any at hop card ( or any software or data stored on it ) in any way or for any purpose ( or permit anyone else to do so ) .
unless you have bought a prepay card , cards must be topped up before use and must be topped up at the time of purchase .
find out what you can do if your card is not working , or if you have any problems with your card .
27 . 1 . the determination by us , a retail agent or a public transport operator ( as the case may be ) as to the amount of hop money and other products on an at hop card will be final and conclusive . we reserve the right to correct the products loaded on your at hop card if we believe that a technical or accounting error has occurred . for the purposes of such determination , the value of products as determined by us , a retail agent or a public transport operator from any of the following sources will be deemed to be conclusive and binding : 27 . 1 . 1 . the products encoded in the at hop card ; or 27 . 1 . 2 . our records , including records that we generate from the system . 27 . 2 . if we determine that , as a result of error by us , the wrong product or wrong amount of hop money is deducted from your at hop card for a public transport journey , we will refund to you as hop money ( unless we in our sole discretion determine to give such refund ) the difference between the amount deducted from your at hop card and the correct fare or product value for the relevant public transport journey .
a woman who found her hop card balance had mysteriously gone to zero was shocked to find auckland transport ( at ) had taken the money . and it turns out , other hop card holders are experiencing similar losses . in the year to the end of april , $ 342 , 000 was wiped from hop cards under at ' s
60 day
rule . there are over one million auckland transport hop cards in circulation , with people able to use them to pay for all forms of auckland transport - ferry , trains and bus .
if you top up online and do not to tag on at an at hop reader or electronic gate at a train station or ferry terminal within 60 days of an online top up , this top up will expire and the payment will be reversed to the credit card or debit card you have used to top up . if this happens , we will send you an email to let you know we ' ve done the reversal .
travellers running low on fares will be prompted by an audio reminder when they scan their card to top up their hop balance .
35 . public transport operators : certain authorised public transport operators have entered into agreements with us to accept hop money and / or products on an at hop card as a means of payment for public transport journeys on services run by those public transport operators . if a public transport operator notifies us that it no longer accepts the at hop card as a means of payment , we will communicate this to customers as soon as reasonably practical via the notice methods set out in section 39 .
“to tag off place your at hop card flat and still to the reader . a single beep and green light will show that you have tagged off successfully . the fare charged will appear on the screen , as will your remaining hop money balance or monthly pass expiry date .
similar to the existing hop / snapper cards used on nz bus services in auckland , the at hop card is re - usable and stores value which is used to pay for travel . value is stored in the form of money or a monthly pass , and the cards can be topped up at a ticket office , self - service machine , or online .
31 . 1 . in the event of any refund claim being received we will investigate the circumstances of the claim . if we determine that the claim was the result of faulty equipment , a faulty card or a fault in the at hop system , we will refund the appropriate fare overcharge . 31 . 2 . if we do decide to provide a fare refund per section 31 . 1 : 31 . 2 . 1 . for registered at hop cards : the refund will be paid as hop money that can only be collected when your registered at hop card is next tagged on to the system ; 31 . 2 . 2 . for unregistered at hop cards : we will work with you to determine the easiest way to apply the top up , as this must be completed in person .
34 . gst : the charges and other amounts payable to us or our retail agents under these terms are stated and payable in new zealand dollars inclusive of gst , if any . no invoice or tax invoice will be provided to you when you purchase an at hop card or load any hop money and / or products on an at hop card . if you need to make an expense claim or gst claim , please use a printout from your online account as a basis for your claim .
25 . 1 . any hop money added to your at hop card via our website must be activated by tagging on within 60 days . if you don’t tag on at an at hop reader or electronic gate within 60 days of your online top up , the top up will expire . if this happens the payment will be reversed to the credit or debit card you used for your online top up . 25 . 2 . any period pass purchased on our website but not activated by tagging on within 60 days will automatically be cancelled . if this happens the payment will be reversed to the credit or debit card you used to purchase the pass .
unlike the old go rider card , bus passengers using hop have to swipe their cards not once but twice during public transport trips .
auckland mayor len brown is a regular user of public transport and also acknowledges what a significant milestone completion of the at hop rollout is . “the transformation of auckland’s public transport system is well and truly underway , and the completion of the at hop rollout is a critical part of that , ” he says .
if you think a fare has been charged incorrectly , log in to your myat account and select view transactions , and you can request a refund for us to review . you can also print a record of your most recent travel at a top - up machine or ask at a customer service centre or at hop retailer .
24 . the time at which you tag on is deemed your travel start time .
54 . trade marks : you acknowledge and agree that the trademarks appearing on any at hop card or on the website belong to us , our suppliers , or other third parties ( as the case may be ) . except with the prior written permission of the trade mark owner , you must not use , copy , or adapt any trade mark appearing on an at hop card or the website ( or permit anyone else to do so ) .
64 . contact : if you have any questions , compliments , or complaints in relation to an at hop card or the system , please contact us using our online feedback form or via the contact details set out below .
– it is still very much early days in the change over from the go rider card ( a system in use for 15 + years ) and the speed of the contactless hop / snapper card . an express queue for hop / snapper users will certainly develop over time .
32 . trust arrangements : we maintain in a separate bank account an amount in excess of the face value of all products that we are liable to repay to holders of at hop cards in accordance with section 11 less any amounts cancelled , redeemed or otherwise forfeited in accordance with these terms from time to time , which is held on trust for all holders of at hop cards . you have a right to a proportion of the account equal to the value of the products loaded on your at hop card that we are liable to repay to holders of at hop cards in accordance with section 11 less any amounts cancelled , redeemed or otherwise forfeited in accordance with these terms from time to time . the bank where the account is maintained has been given written notice of the status of the account as a trust account for all holders of at hop cards .
if you top up online and do not to tag on at an at hop reader or electronic gate at a train station or ferry terminal within 60 days of an online top up , this top up will expire and the payment will be reversed to the credit or debit card you used to top up . if this happens we will send you an email to let you know we’ve done the reversal .
find out how you can enjoy free wifi at selected bus , train and ferry terminals .
i purchased the hop card and loaded $ 20 on it in december ,
said the woman , who did not want to be named .
for those who are eligible for the new card but have yet to make the switch to hop , below is a simple guide to the system .
in the next phase of one of the most significant transport technology projects in the history of auckland , at hop for trains goes live this saturday , 27 october 2012 .
after being contacted by stuff , at changed the hop card terms and conditions to make it clearer that it was willing to reinstate money taken under the 60 - day rule , and that there was no time limit for getting your money back .
the hop card is just an electronic ticket card . there is a $ 10 charge for the card itself . as far as i know the actual ticket charges are the same as if you paid for paper tickets , its main advantage is ease of payment and quick passage through transport terminals etc .
cardholders will be able to top up snapper cards by credit card over the internet by clipping their card to a usb device that plugs into a computer .
40 . default fares : when you do not correctly complete both a
tag on
and
tag off
transaction for your trip , a default fare may be charged . the default will be calculated and applied to your hop money balance at your next
tag on
event . if the application of a default fare puts your hop money balance below $ 0 . 00 , you will be unable to
tag on
using hop money until such time as additional hop money has been loaded onto your at hop card . the exercise of remedies available under this section will not restrict the exercise of any additional or alternative remedies , including other remedies in these terms of use .