Clynelish 24 Years Old 1995 Cask #2158 (Signatory)

The Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage selected this Clynelish, a 24 year old, distilled in 1995, from cask 2158, bottled at 58%, one of 574 bottles. Clynelish, on the Sutherland coast, makes one of the most distinctive textures in Scotch, its famous wax. It is the heart malt of Johnnie Walker Gold Label, and a sought after single malt in its own right.

The spirit was distilled from unpeated malt in the distillery's tall stills, giving the oily, candle wax character Clynelish is prized for. An Oloroso hogshead lent raisin and a savoury, nutty edge to the wax. Oxidative, evaporative ageing turns the malt deep and waxy, ethereal esters and a faint sotolon (maple). The waxy, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its citrus and coast. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax. Long ageing turns the fresh lemon towards candied orange, beeswax and tropical fruit.

At a hearty 58% it carries real weight. Candle wax, tangerine and a maritime lift, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Orange, beeswax and a maritime salt fill the middle. The close is long, wax over a citrus lift. This is Clynelish, the wax of the Sutherland coast.