Clynelish 14 Years Old 1997 All you need is whisky (The Whiskyman)

From the bottler The Whiskyman, a 14 year old Clynelish, distilled in 1997, bottled at 50.5%, one of 160 bottles. Clynelish stands on the North Sea coast at Brora, the modern neighbour of the lost Brora distillery. Water comes from the Clynemilton Burn, the spirit drawn off three wash and three spirit stills.

Made in copper stills for a coastal, waxy make, building the cult Clynelish waxiness. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the oily, coastal spirit. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the wax, lemon deepening to candied orange. The wax sits at the heart of the spirit, the cask building fruit and honey around it. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the wax. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the oily, waxy malt.

At a natural 50.5% it is full and oily. Beeswax, honey and a coastal freshness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Orange, beeswax and a maritime salt fill the middle. It finishes oily, waxy and bright. This is a coastal Highland single malt of rare texture.