Clynelish 27 Years Old 1993 Cask #HL 18443 (Edition Spirits)

This Clynelish was bottled by the bottler Edition Spirits, a 27 year old, distilled in 1993, from cask HL 18443, bottled at 53.8%, one of 170 bottles. Clynelish stands on the North Sea coast at Brora, the modern neighbour of the lost Brora distillery. The original Clynelish was founded in 1819 by the Marquess of Stafford during the Highland Clearances.

The spirit was distilled from unpeated malt in the distillery's tall stills, for a maritime spirit with a beeswax richness. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the wax. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend a drying structure while oxidation builds waxy tropical fruit. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax. Most of its make goes to blending, with a fourteen year old the flagship single malt. The unpeated make leans on texture and citrus, the cask adding depth.

At a hearty 53.8% it carries real weight. Beeswax, honey and a coastal freshness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run candle wax, lemon and a coastal salt. It finishes oily, waxy and bright. This is an oily, maritime Highland single malt.