North Highland 8 Years Old PST (Phil & Simon Thompson)

North Highland 8 Years Old PST (Phil & Simon Thompson) is a blended malt Scotch from Phil & Simon Thompson. It marries single malts from more than one distillery, Clynelish among them. Most of its make goes to blending, with a fourteen year old the flagship single malt.

The Clynelish within gives a waxy, citrussy coastal note. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and honey behind the wax. Refill oak lets the famous Clynelish wax lead, lemon and honey beneath. The clean, oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey over the wax. The famous wax is said to come from the build up in the distillery's feints receivers. Long ageing turns the fresh lemon towards candied orange, beeswax and tropical fruit. A coastal maturation lends a faint brine to the waxy, oily spirit. The cool, salt laden coastal air works into the maturing casks at Brora. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the waxy, citrussy core over the years.

At 44.9% it is soft and waxy. A waxy, oily texture runs through it, with citrus, honey and a coastal lift. Orange, beeswax and a maritime salt fill the middle. The finish runs waxy, coastal and clean. A characterful blended malt Scotch.