Adelphi Clarendon Selection 2008

Adelphi, the Scottish independent better known for whisky, picked this 2008 Clarendon as a single cask, and it shows the more characterful face of the distillery. Clarendon runs both pot and column for blend stock, but the pot still marks can be genuinely funky, and this twelve year old balances on the line without tipping fully into solvent territory.

Matured in ex-bourbon wood and bottled at 56.8% with no added sugar, it opens floral and funky with apricot and tropical fruit, then carries that fruit-and-funk interplay across the palate alongside yellow fruits and a drying edge. The finish stays dry, estery and fruity with a lift of vanilla. Tropical ageing has integrated the alcohol well for the strength, giving a poised Jamaican that delivers fruit, funk, spice and a floral top without overwhelming the drinker, a strong showing for a Clarendon and a rewarding pour for those who like their funk balanced rather than brutal.