Clynelish 19 Years Old 1993 Cask #7556 (Silver Seal)

This Clynelish was bottled by the bottler Silver Seal, a 19 year old, distilled in 1993, from cask 7556, bottled at 53.5%, one of 322 bottles. Clynelish stands on the North Sea coast at Brora, the modern neighbour of the lost Brora distillery. The distillery was built in 1967 next to the original Clynelish of 1819, which was renamed Brora and later closed.

The spirit was distilled for the waxy, oily spirit Clynelish is known for, to build a waxy, coastal, citrussy spirit. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a little coconut under the wax. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, lemon turning to candied orange over a thick, oily wax. The wax sits at the heart of the spirit, the cask building fruit and honey around it. The oily, waxy texture is the signature that blenders prize above all. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the wax.

At its natural 53.5% it is concentrated. An oily wax with citrus and brine, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is waxy and citrussy, the oily spirit shining through. The close is long, wax over a citrus lift. This is an oily, maritime Highland single malt.