Clynelish might not be very familiar with the casual whisky drinker, but whisky from this Highland distillery is held in very high regard by connoisseurs. Single cask-releases often quickly sell out. Imagine my surprise when I was able to acquire this Clynelish 1996 19 Years Old from Adelphi, a bottling that has received a lot of good reviews.
Whisky bottled by Adelphi, albeit a bit on the expensive side, is often of a high quality. I guess in this case you get what you pay for. The Clynelish I review today was bottled late last year and has spent close to 20 years maturing in a bourbon cask.
Clynelish 1996 19 Years Old (49,1%, Adelphi, C#11446)
Nose: A good amount of candle wax (although not as much as in this Clynelish 1996 from Whisky Import Nederland) and quite floral. The wax is balanced by a fair bit of fruit (tangerine, ripe red apple, lemon peel). Honey and coconut too, with some wood shavings.
Taste: Mouthfeel is not as coating or creamy as I like it, still pretty good though, and the flavours are all there. Some white pepper and ginger first, but then fruit and sweetness. Fudge, white grapes, honey, pickled lemon. Slightly tannic and drying. Love it. Right up my alley.
Finish: Sweet, waxy and long.
Rating: 90
A flawless Clynelish. If you like this profile, this is a no-brainer. Although it might be a challenge to find a bottle, since only 174 were made.