Clynelish 21 Years Old 1995 Pomme Piquante (Wemyss)

This Clynelish was bottled by the family bottler Wemyss Malts, a 21 year old, distilled in 1995, bottled at 46%, one of 340 bottles. Clynelish, built in 1967 beside the old Brora distillery, is known for its signature waxy texture. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit.

It was run through copper stills on Clynemilton Burn water, for the famous waxy texture at its heart. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and honey behind the wax. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (orange and pineapple) over the deepening wax. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the oily, waxy malt. The distillery was built in 1967 next to the original Clynelish of 1819, which was renamed Brora and later closed. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the wax.

At 46% it is oily, citrussy and clean. The famous wax over lemon and orange, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run candle wax, lemon and a coastal salt. Citrus, wax and a faint brine see out the finish. This is the waxy heart of Johnnie Walker Gold.