Clynelish 16 Years Old 1995 Cask #DL 7920 (Douglas Laing)

This Clynelish was bottled by the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, a 16 year old, distilled in 1995, from cask DL 7920, bottled at 50%, one of 287 bottles. Clynelish is a coastal Highland distillery at Brora in Sutherland, famous for its waxy single malt. Two old Brora warehouses still stand on the site, a link to its silent neighbour.

It was distilled for the waxy, oily spirit Clynelish is known for, giving the oily, candle wax character Clynelish is prized for. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a little coconut under the wax. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, lemon turning to candied orange over a thick, oily wax. The unpeated make leans on texture and citrus, the cask adding depth. Its waxy character, a candle wax and beeswax texture, is prized above almost any other by blenders. The wax sits at the heart of the spirit, the cask building fruit and honey around it.

At cask strength 50% it is full bodied. An oily wax with citrus and brine, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A beeswax and a savoury edge give it depth. It finishes oily, waxy and bright. This is an oily, maritime Highland single malt.