Whisky: Clynelish 21 Year (1992), The Whisky Agency Cask 1510/9 for LMDW

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 49.8%

Cask: Bourbon Hogshead

Age: 21 Years (Distilled 1992, Bottled 2014)

Nose: Sweet citrus and caramelized sugar, a touch of cream and vanilla with baking spices and malty pastries, wood, herbal tea, a touch of citrus rind waxiness.

Palate: Medium to light-bodied, oily and then waxy later; bright citrus, sugar cookies, malty pastries, hints of something metallic and herbal, old paper, slightly sour toward the end.

Finish: Medium to long with a touch of waxy citrus rind, cookies, and oak.

Score: 7 (83)

Mental Image: Backyard Lemonade Stand

Narrative & Notes: Instant “old fashioned” lemonade powder and praline cookies took shape with vanilla cream sandwiched between malty clove and nutmeg spiced biscuits. More lemon zest and waxy fruit skins developed, leaving old wooden tea chests and hints of slightly floral tea in the background. Medium to light-bodied, a gentle oiliness coated the palate and solidified into a mellow waxiness over the course of a glass. Bright lemon citrus and zest with sugar cookies, old coffee tins, stacks of old papers, and mellow herbal tea developed on the palate— it was simple fare, but well-done, if not a touch sour at the end. The finish was medium to long with a touch of waxy citrus rinds, cookies, and oak.

Basic and delicious, not a whisky that commands attention, rather one that wants to lay you down for a nap. The elements were all very “warm spring day after a long winter” with plenty of citrusy goodness and a restrained sweetness on the palate.

Overall, good whisky in its own right— however, compared to some of the outstanding early 90s Clynelish, this comes up short.