Clynelish 15 Years Old 1997 (The Whiskyman)

A 15 year old Clynelish from the bottler The Whiskyman, distilled in 1997, bottled at 53.5%. Clynelish is a Highland single malt of waxy, coastal character from Brora in Sutherland. Clynelish sits on the North Sea coast at Brora, in the far north east of the Highlands.

The spirit was worked through the tall stills for a citrussy, oily spirit, for a maritime spirit with a beeswax richness. A sherry cask wrapped the waxy spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (orange and pineapple) over the deepening wax. Active wood frames the citrus without smothering the waxy texture. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit. The distillery was built in 1967 next to the original Clynelish of 1819, which was renamed Brora and later closed. Long ageing turns the fresh lemon towards candied orange, beeswax and tropical fruit.

At its natural 53.5% it is concentrated. Waxy honey, lemon and a savoury edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A lemon, a brine and a thick wax lift it. The finish is deep, waxy and maritime. This is an oily, maritime Highland single malt.