Whisky: Clynelish 11 Year (2008), Signatory Vintage Cask 800217

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 46%

Cask: Bourbon Barrel

Age: 11 Years (Distilled 1 March 2008, Bottled 13 Nov. 2019)

Nose: Creamy, malty, citrusy; orchard fruits and buttercream, cake, honey, herbal tea.

Palate: Medium-bodied, malty pastries, herbal tea, honey, buttercream, cake; more lemon and jammy stone fruit with time.

Finish: Medium-length with soft citrus, pastries, and a touch of summer grass.

Score: 6-7 (79)

Mental Image: Cat Cafe Tea Time

Narrative & Notes: Surprisingly creamy at first, as lady finger sponge cakes with citrusy curd and buttercream arrived. More orchard fruits lingered in the background with sliced green apples. Lemon peel gummy bears arrived with subtle chamomile tea and honey. Medium-bodied with a balanced mouthfeel and all the pastry and tea notes you could want. Lady finger cakes and buttercream frosting balanced the dry herbal nature of chamomile tea with hints of jasmine and a dollop of honey on the side. More lemon scones and apricot jams kept the tea time going with malty sugars and creamy salted butter. The finish was medium-length and soft with citrus fruits, pastries, and a touch of dried grass.

There was nothing fancy or complicated with this young Clynelish, it was comforting like an old blanket. There was none of the waxiness some demand from the distillery, so buccaneers of waxy malts may want to steer clear. The aroma and palate overlapped on quite a few notes, but they struck different cords as the creaminess of the nose reminded me a lot of a Macduff, while the tea and pastries on the palate left me thinking Linkwood. It was an interesting combination with the immaculate balance this struck on the palate the real star.

Overall, I enjoyed this quite a bit and would happily relax with a pour of it— I have some similar bottles that I always turn to when I want something enjoyable and not too complicated.