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| Hello, that is one among our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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April 19, 2023
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Just a few cutting-edge Clynelish
Ha! All the time a pleasure and a pleasure, even when there are increasingly undisclosed or ‘secret’ ones round, which I discover deplorable. Anyway, we’ll first strive the older ones, since they’re lighter in alcohol. (WF Archive)
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Clynelish 32 yo 1989/2022 (44.2%, Blackadder, Assertion, Version No. 50, for Liquorfang Taiwan, barrel, cask #6093, 162 bottles) 
We have tried some sister casks whereas these have been nonetheless younger, like an excellent cask #6088 bottled at 13 or 14 years of age. However they have been nonetheless ‘younger’ after I tried these, in… 2006. Color: gentle gold. Nostril: the late Eighties should not fairly a part of essentially the most well-known vintages of Clynelish, however this time I doubt you possibly can discover extra beeswax and heat pinewood anyplace else. Neither would you detect this a lot comfortable citrus (suppose pomelos, tangerine), then stewed rhubarb, or this excellent great chalk/uncooked wool mixture. A component reminds of some very chalky champagnes, minus the wee bubbles, naturally. Pure Clynelishness. Mouth: 30+ is such an ideal age. There’s some tannicity for positive, nevertheless it’s a greener form that may reasonably remind us of some pretty apple peel and of high-end inexperienced tea, or Wulong as properly. Behind that, all citrus you possibly can consider plus the trademark waxiness, as soon as once more reasonably round beeswax than in direction of ‘synthetic’ candles, paraffin or else. Wonderful zesty growth then, on grated grapefruit peel, yuzu and so forth. Faultless, whereas power and physique are Image-perfect. End: a tighter, rather more citrusy Clynelish than regular ultimately. Feedback: it’s virtually acidic at occasions, within the fashion of a tart, bone-dry chenin blanc. I can not consider some other lively Distillery that may produce this fashion, maybe will the brand new Rosebank do it?
SGP:671 – 90 factors. |
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In all probability solely a variant…
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Clynelish 31 yo 1989/2021 (45%, Blackadder, Assertion, Version No. 44, for Liquorfang Taiwan, barrel, cask #6095, 185 bottles)
Color: gentle gold. Nostril: precisely, it is rather related, solely a notch rounder and extra honeyed, with added touches of camphor, as if this barrel had been a tiny tad extra lively. All in all, this one’s simply as superior as its sister. They’re virtually twins. Mouth: it’s virtually a bit of fizzy at first, very a lot of lemons and grapefruits, then expectedly waxy and reasonably honeyed. Elegant waxiness, tangerines, chalk, Szechuan pepper, this inexperienced tannicity (inexperienced pepper, inexperienced tea, ginger tonic)… End: that is the place this one overtakes its twin. Lengthy end, with some sultanas and mangos within the aftertaste. A tad much less folksy, would we are saying. Feedback: completely and plainly distinctive. I am glad to see these vintages attain full and full maturity.
SGP:661 – 91 factors. |
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A youthful, but maybe extra well-known classic of Clynelish now, together with some heavier sherry, because it appears. Keep in mind that in my opinion, sherry or different such flavourings, or nonetheless you name that, make wonders with reasonably expressive distillates, akin to, for instance, most Speysiders or ‘whiskies of the world’, however could conflict with stronger ones, particularly the peaters or the waxies. So, let’s examine…
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Clynelish 25 yo 1996/2022 (52.3%, Signatory Classic, Kirsch Import, sherry butt, cask #11382, 473 bottles) 
You possibly can hardly see by means of this wee Clynelish thoughts you! Fairly… Color: workplace espresso (on the NYPD in Eighties films, Pacino et al) Nostril: chocolate far and wide, plus damp backyard peat, beef jerky, linoleum, fumes, castor oil and soy sauce, plus whiffs of truffles (maybe reasonably white ones from Alba). Additionally Nescafé and mushrooms (oyster mushrooms, porcinis). The chocolate stays within the entrance seat all alongside. With water: extra traditional outdated wooden fashion, first rainwater, amontillado… Mouth (neat): one of many meatiest and earthiest sherried Clynelishes I’ve tried. Properly one of many meatiest and earthiest sherried malt whiskies globally. Some very excessive vegetal tar, very heavy salty liquorice, roasted uncooked chocolate beans, hoisin sauce, rubber, cardamom and capsicum aplenty, clove, tobacco… With water: it relaxes and would show extra dried fruits, fruitcake, pumpernickel, now truffles and salted liquorice haven’t given up. Neither did coffee-flavoured darkish chocolate and our pricey hoisin sauce. Convey on the Peking duck! End: lengthy, very chocolaty and salty. Chocolate and salt is a tough mixture, until you are Mexican (ha). Very peppery aftertaste. Feedback: reasonably what I used to be anticipating, such a heavy sherry can overwhelm even the fatter spirits, now I have not discovered any dissonances or extreme leather-based or cabbage. So it is a superb one, what’s extra you possibly can additionally simply use it as an alternative of… tabasco.
SGP:372 – 88 factors. |
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Since we have been at Signatory’s and in 1996…
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Clynelish 18 yo 1996/2015 (54.4%, Signatory Classic, refill sherry butt, cask #6516, 505 bottles) 
Signatory have had a great deal of Clynelishes (oh these 1965!) together with a number of 1996 certainly, with emphasis on sherry. Color: apricot gold. Nostril: clearly extra ‘Clynelish’, but additionally with extra twists and turns, slight dissonances, wee fights and pleasant teases. For instance, there’s a little rubber that may battle the mirabelle jam and the waxy honeys, however certainly it stays an exhibition recreation, so to talk. All reasonably light. Firstly, the Clynelish character stays reasonably apparent. Some flints too. With water: a bit of leather-based popping out. Not too positive it is an awesome swimmer. Mouth (neat): the sherry’s remained reasonably lively, on this case filled with walnuts, including a bit of mustard that may make you consider some dry ‘cooking’ Madeira. With water: walnut wine, a bit of leather-based once more, some bitter tobacco (all tobaccos are bitter, aren’t they) and a pinch of salt. End: reasonably lengthy, a tad bitter, on leather-based, walnuts and bitter marmalade. Darkish chocolate within the aftertaste. Feedback: very, superb, simply not precisely my favorite fashion of Clynelish (see the Blackadders!)
SGP:371 – 84 factors. |
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A final one (5 make for a superb session)…
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Secret Highland Distillery 9 yo 2013/2022 (52.5%, Sansibar, Best Whisky Berlin, hogshead, 412 bottles)
It would not say it’s Clynelish, however a minimum of, the drawing on the label tells us that this shouldn’t be Glenmorangie. Color: white wine. Nostril: pure and crystalline, on paraffin, new wool, lamp petroleum, medicinal alcohol, crushed slate and the tightest cider apple. Completely immaculate, virtually strident. With water: wool chalk porridge and sourdough. No quibbling. Mouth (neat): superlatively waxy and petroly, you’d virtually imagine the hogshead used to include some earlier peater belonging to the identical cartel, both from Skye or from Islay. Extraordinary salty blast, plus lemons, plus granny smith, plus paraffin and plasticine. With water: fantastically grassy, bitter, and but fruity across the edges. I like this fermentary aspect that coats all of it, I am questioning in the event you could not add some wash residues to your new make, maintain it for years after which gently re-filter in some sort of means. Properly, most likely not. End: lengthy, clear and with even touches of brine and… inexperienced olives. Inexperienced olives cease wars! (if solely…) Feedback: incomparable make. Thoughts you, solely 9. To cellar for twenty or thirty years or extra. What’s extra, I am extraordinarily happy to note that very current vintages are of dazzling high quality. Not the whole lot is misplaced on this pretend ‘tech’ world (responsible as charged).
SGP:562 – 89 factors. |
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(Thanks Morten, thanks Ryan!)
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