Clynelish 1974 27 Years Old (Adelphi)
I never realised how rare Clynelish from 1974 is, until I checked Whiskybase. Turns out there have only ever been eight different bottlings from this vintage. Lucky me, as I happen to own one of them. Now if only I could get my hands on the other seven 😉
The one I have in my collection is the Clynelish 1974 27 Years Old bottled by Adelphi at the start of this century. I picked it up a few years ago, and have not looked back. It is simply great stuff. I’ll let my tasting notes do the talking.
Clynelish 1974 27 Years Old (56,5%, Adelphi, C#2565)
Nose: Classic Clynelish. Beeswax, shoe polish and some subtle farmy notes (hay, straw), as well as wet pebbles. Lovely soft fruits like sour apples, orange peel, white grapes and lemon zest go well together with the dusty books. Not the most complex, but it just hits the spot. Top notch!
Taste: Extremely waxy, accompanied by bitter lemons and a whisper of grapefruit. Lots of minerals, a big whoop of chalk, and a slight menthol-esque quality. There are also chili peppers here, as well as a pinch of salt, some burlap and some leather.
Finish: Some more chalk and wax, with soft fruity notes and whispers of menthol.
Score: 92
The end of my bottle is coming in sight. I’m now sad that I didn’t buy another when I had the chance. The store had two of these. At least I know that the other one ended up in a good home as well.
Photo: Whiskybase
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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