Granville 2000 MBa No. 157 (Maltbarn)

From the bottler Maltbarn, a 20 year old Clynelish, distilled in 2000, bottled at 54.6%, one of 100 bottles. Clynelish makes the celebrated waxy, oily Highland malt on the far north east coast at Brora. Most of its make goes to blending, with a fourteen year old the flagship single malt.

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. At oxidative maturity vanillin and lactones are fully expressed, the wax and citrus at their best. The unpeated make leans on texture and citrus, the cask adding depth. Two old Brora warehouses still stand on the site, a link to its silent neighbour. The famous wax is said to come from the build up in the distillery's feints receivers. Refill oak lets the famous Clynelish wax lead, lemon and honey beneath.

At cask strength 54.6% it is full bodied. Waxy honey, lemon and a savoury edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A lemon, a brine and a thick wax lift it. It finishes oily, waxy and bright. This is Clynelish, the wax of the Sutherland coast.