Clynelish 6 Years Old 2008 Cask #800011 (van Wees)

A 6 year old Clynelish from the Dutch bottler van Wees, distilled in 2008, from cask 800011, bottled at 46%, one of 275 bottles. Clynelish is a waxy, citrussy Highland single malt from the village of Brora. The original Clynelish was founded in 1819 by the Marquess of Stafford during the Highland Clearances.

It was made in copper stills for a coastal, waxy make, for a maritime spirit with a beeswax richness. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the soft oak letting the waxy citrus lead. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over a bright, waxy citrus. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the wax. Most of its make goes to blending, with a fourteen year old the flagship single malt. Long ageing turns the fresh lemon towards candied orange, beeswax and tropical fruit. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded. A thick wax over orchard fruit and citrus, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is thick and oily, the wax coating the palate. A long, oily finish ends on lemon and beeswax. This is the cult waxy malt of Brora.