Clynelish 28 Year (1993), Hunter Laing For K&L
Whisky: Clynelish 28 Year (1993), Hunter Laing For K&L
Country/Region: Scotland/Highland
ABV: 50.3%
Cask: Bourbon Hogshead
Age: 28 Years (Distilled Nov. 1993, Bottled Jan. 2022)
Nose: Gentle and sweet, citrusy lemon, honey, shortbread pastries; more herbal, floral, and woody notions with time, hints of paraffin and dried berries.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, hints of paraffin wax citrus candies, cola, floral and citrusy, honey, herbal tea, fried dough, bitter medicinal herbs and honey toward the end.
Finish: Long and drying, more tannic herbal tea, oak, sourness, and herbal spice.
Score: 6-7 (79)
Mental Image: High Tea on the State Fair Midway
Narrative & Notes: The aroma featured a gentle sweetness with lemon slices, herbal tea, honey, and short bread cookies. With time came a slightly floral turn with lavender scones and salted butter, hints of paraffin wax candies lingered in the background with musk, powdered sugar, and dried berries. Medium-bodied and oily, hints of paraffin wax candies and cola appeared amidst floral lavender, lemon wedges, and bergamot. Plenty of herbal tea and honey paired with beignets and fried confections dusted in powdered sugar, cloves, rose water, and honey. At the end was a mild sourness with bitter medicinal herbs and honey. The finish was long and slightly drying with more tannic herbal tea gone slightly sour, oak, and herbal spices.
I enjoyed the floral eccentricities of this well-aged Clynelish, but wondered if it sat in the cask a little bit too long. The drying and woody finish gradually pressed on the palate, dampening some of the waxier elements that stood out initially. As a result, the back end developed some herbal sourness, which only grew with time, and came on stronger in subsequent tastings. On revisits, the whisky lacked the clean development and the coherency I initially enjoyed.
I imagine fans of big waxy 90s Clynelish would find their disappointment in other areas— this was no wax monster. The herbal and floral elements reminded me of some of the outstanding early 90s Clynelish that SMWS have bottled, but this lacked the same richness and waxy mouthfeel. I still found it pleasant, but it was clearly several steps behind its vintage-age peers.
