Clynelish 11 Years Old 2011 Cask #800288 (Elixir)

This Clynelish was bottled by Sukhinder Singh's Elixir Distillers, an 11 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask 800288, bottled at 56.3%, one of 258 bottles. Clynelish is the coastal Highland malt whose waxiness has made it a cult favourite. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit.

Distilled from unpeated malt in the distillery's tall stills, giving the oily, candle wax character Clynelish is prized for. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and honey behind the wax. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the waxy body oilier and softer. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the wax. Clynelish is unpeated, its character built on texture, citrus and coast rather than smoke. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the waxy, citrussy core over the years. The waxy, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its citrus and coast.

At its natural 56.3% it is concentrated. Candle wax, lemon and a coastal salt, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Orange, beeswax and a maritime salt fill the middle. The close is long, wax over a citrus lift. This is the cult waxy malt of Brora.