Clynelish 15 Years Old 2000 (Connoisseurs Choice)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail selected this Clynelish, a 15 year old, distilled in 2000, bottled at 46%. Clynelish is a waxy, citrussy Highland single malt from the village of Brora. Clynelish is unpeated, its character built on texture, citrus and coast rather than smoke.

Run through copper stills on Clynemilton Burn water, for a maritime spirit with a beeswax richness. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the waxy spirit. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, lemon turning to candied orange over a thick, oily wax. Years in oak round the spirit, the citrus deepening to orange and tropical fruit. Clynelish wax and a maritime salt run through the maturing spirit. Active wood frames the citrus without smothering the waxy texture. The oily, waxy texture is the signature that blenders prize above all. Two old Brora warehouses still stand on the site, a link to its silent neighbour.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded. Beeswax, honey and a coastal freshness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is oily, the citrus carried on a waxy body. It finishes oily, waxy and bright. This is a coastal Highland single malt of rare texture.