Clynelish 12 Years Old 1989 The Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

A Clynelish of a 12 year old chosen by the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, distilled in 1989, bottled at 50%, one of 588 bottles. Clynelish is a waxy, citrussy Highland single malt from the village of Brora. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit.

It was distilled for the waxy, oily spirit Clynelish is known for, for a maritime spirit with a beeswax richness. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the oily, coastal malt. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the wax, lemon deepening to candied orange. The oily, waxy texture is the signature that blenders prize above all. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax. Refill oak lets the famous Clynelish wax lead, lemon and honey beneath. The distillery was built in 1967 next to the original Clynelish of 1819, which was renamed Brora and later closed.

At 50%, undiluted, it is deep and waxy. An oily wax with citrus and brine, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is waxy and citrussy, the oily spirit shining through. It finishes oily, waxy and bright. This is the waxy heart of Johnnie Walker Gold.