Clynelish 23 Year (1995), Signatory Vintage Cask 11239 for K&L
Whisky: Clynelish 23 Year (1995), Signatory Vintage Cask 11239 for K&L
Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands
ABV: 56.1%
Cask: Refill Sherry Butt
Age: 23 Years (Distilled 21 Nov. 1995, Bottled 7 June 2019)
Nose: Berry jam, pear tarts, candle wax, cedarwood, chamomile, dried citrus, subtle aniseed and cinnamon; hints of musty tobacco, leather, and earth.
Palate: Medium-bodied and waxy, old paraffin wax candies, fruit jelly, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, musty leather, tobacco, and earth; dried orange peel, florals, and almond cookies toward the end.
Finish: Medium-length and mildly drying with fruit cake, brown sugar, and paraffin candies.
Score: 7-8
Mental Image: Hot Spring Tea Service
Narrative & Notes: A burst of hot air from a cedarwood-lined sauna; or, was it a bubble bath, burning candles, a mug of tea, and a plate of spiced cookies? The aroma was relaxing and invigorating with berry jams, miniature pear tarts, and classic Clynelish candle wax. Herbal tea and wood came through with warm cedar wood, chamomile, dried citrus, and a subtle layer of sweet aniseed and cinnamon. Musty hints of tobacco, leather, and earth drifted in the background of the sherried fruits and spice. Medium-bodied, the palate was waxy and slightly drying; more paraffin wax, like old-fashioned candies, than candle wax. Fruit jellies with tingling cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper fronted mustier sherry-driven notes of leather, tobacco, and earth. Dried orange peel and subtle floral notions of lavender brought to mind bath time yet again as spiced almond cookies lingered at the end. The finish was medium-length and mildly drying with fruit cake, brown sugar, and paraffin candies.
I have not had those old-fashioned paraffin wax candy bottle drinks or chews in a long time, but this whisky brought back Halloween memories of sifting for those delightful shots of wax-coated sugar. My mother used paraffin in a couple of her holiday candy recipes as well, the sort of old-fashioned recipe that uses paraffin to help set chocolate for a candy shell— if the whisky had leaned a bit more in the direction of chocolate, I am sure I would have been caught in sweet holiday nostalgia.
A beautiful Clynelish, even my peat-headed wife enjoyed the bottle when she tried it blind. I thought it improved quite a bit while it was open, and my review is a conglomeration of notes from roughly when it was first opened to finished. While the overarching flavors did not change radically, the sherry-driven fruits and spice became softer with time, while the waxiness assumed a more central role. No surprise there; I often prefer sherried whiskies once they have had time to mellow out and cool off.
Overall, a beautifully waxy and well-integrated Clynelish.
Weekly Theme: Clynelish
Image Credit: Visit Scotland
Imagine there was a distillery called Clynelish, and then a new distillery was built next door and then also called Clynelish. That was precisely what happened in 1967 with Clynelish B opened next to Clynelish A, sometimes referred to as Old Clynelish and New Clynelish. The confusing situation did not last for long as Old Clynelish was mothballed in 1968 and then reopened to at least a limited extent in 1969 under the name Brora, which locals had long used to refer to the old distillery. So Clynelish, or the distillery we know as Clynelish today, was the new kid on the block who took over the name of the old distillery.
The distillery ranks right in the top 25 largest distilleries in Scotland by theoretical capacity. It might very well be getting close to producing 4.8 million liters annually, as the distillery currently operates seven days a week. Single malts from Clynelish remain popular and well-regarded for their crisp citrus and waxy elements; the distillery is also a key ingredient for Diageo’s blending team and forms a central part of the Johnnie Walker range. Not only is the distillery’s malt in high demand, but it also has an impressive and modern visitor’s center for those faithful who come on a pilgrimage.
