Clynelish 10 Years Old 2013 10th Anniversary (Hidden Spirits)

A Clynelish of a 10 year old chosen by the bottler Hidden Spirits, distilled in 2013, bottled at 53.7%. Clynelish, on the Sutherland coast, makes one of the most distinctive textures in Scotch, its famous wax. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit.

The spirit was run through copper stills on Clynemilton Burn water, for the famous waxy texture at its heart. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the waxy character to the fore. By the integrating teens congeners fade and esters build, the waxy, oily spirit growing rounder. The oily, waxy texture is the signature that blenders prize above all. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the oily, waxy malt. It is the heart malt of Johnnie Walker Gold Label, and a sought after single malt in its own right. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax.

At cask strength 53.7% it is full bodied. A thick wax over orchard fruit and citrus, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run candle wax, lemon and a coastal salt. The finish is deep, waxy and maritime. This is the waxy heart of Johnnie Walker Gold.