Clynelish 47 Years Old 1977 Cask #2069 (Private Collection)

A Clynelish of a 47 year old chosen by the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, distilled in 1977, from cask 2069, bottled at 45.5%, one of 96 bottles. Clynelish is a Highland single malt of waxy, coastal character from Brora in Sutherland. Two old Brora warehouses still stand on the site, a link to its silent neighbour.

Worked through the tall stills for a citrussy, oily spirit, building the cult Clynelish waxiness. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the oily, coastal spirit. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and old oak as beeswax and a coastal salt linger. The unpeated make leans on texture and citrus, the cask adding depth. The waxy, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its citrus and coast. Active wood frames the citrus without smothering the waxy texture. The oily, waxy texture is the signature that blenders prize above all.

Bottled at 45.5%, it is rounded. The famous wax over lemon and orange, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Orange, beeswax and a maritime salt fill the middle. The close is long, wax over a citrus lift. This is the waxy heart of Johnnie Walker Gold.