Clynelish 24 Years Old 1996 White Label (Sansibar)

From the German bottler Sansibar, a 24 year old Clynelish, distilled in 1996, bottled at 54.9%, one of 283 bottles. Clynelish is the waxy, maritime Highland single malt at the heart of Johnnie Walker Gold. The famous wax is said to come from the build up in the distillery's feints receivers.

It was distilled from unpeated malt in the distillery's tall stills, for a maritime spirit with a beeswax richness. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and honey behind the wax. Oxidative, evaporative ageing turns the malt deep and waxy, ethereal esters and a faint sotolon (maple). Clynelish wax and a maritime salt run through the maturing spirit. The lost Brora distillery beside it, closed in 1983, was revived by Diageo in 2021. The distillery was built in 1967 next to the original Clynelish of 1819, which was renamed Brora and later closed. The waxy, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its citrus and coast.

At a natural 54.9% it is full and oily. A thick wax over orchard fruit and citrus, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A lemon, a brine and a thick wax lift it. A long, waxy finish carries an orange sweetness. This is Clynelish, the wax of the Sutherland coast.