Clynelish 15 Years Old 1997 Cask #8786 (Hammerschmiede Spirituosen)

From the bottler Hammerschmiede Spirituosen, a 15 year old Clynelish, distilled in 1997, from cask 8786, bottled at 46%. Clynelish makes the celebrated waxy, oily Highland malt on the far north east coast at Brora. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit.

The spirit was drawn off three wash and three spirit stills, building the cult Clynelish waxiness. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the oily, coastal malt. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, lemon turning to candied orange over a thick, oily wax. Refill oak lets the famous Clynelish wax lead, lemon and honey beneath. Clynelish is unpeated, its character built on texture, citrus and coast rather than smoke. The lost Brora distillery beside it, closed in 1983, was revived by Diageo in 2021. Water comes from the Clynemilton Burn, the spirit drawn off three wash and three spirit stills.

At 46% it is smooth and waxy. Candle wax, tangerine and a maritime lift, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A beeswax and a savoury edge give it depth. A long, oily finish ends on lemon and beeswax. This is an oily, maritime Highland single malt.