[52.2%・35 Years Old・Distilled in 1983・Bottled in 2018・Official Bottling・Cask No. 2566・Single Cask Release of 144 Bottles]
Nose:
Ahhh, the nose is immediately captivating with this dense matured musk; mahogany furniture heavily and meticulously wax polished. There are some savoury notes settling over the fruits, wood fired bell pepper and capsicum, whilst a mushroom-y note peels off to reveal the sugar coated dried fruits, smoked bacon and minerals. The nose changes in time to let off a perfume-y aroma and weights heavier with a creamy base.
Palate & Finish:
A expressive, vibrant offering of bouquet fruits and spring carnival flowers, the sweetness is immensely rich and enticing with dried apricots, candied oranges and mango cubes; whilst the barley and oak provide a clean, effortless balance to the charming flow of nectar. The mid-palate conveys more of the Sherry creaminess, with leather and icing sugar subtly brush on as the oak begins to assert its drying touch.
The lingering fruitiness elongates with some Italian herbs, wonderfully satisfying with the waxy aftertaste and perhaps a faint suggestion of smoke
Thoughts:
What a dram.
An ever changing nose that fascinates, a lavishly pleasuring palate and a deeply satisfying finish.
My sincere thank you to Mr. Chan and his business partners for choosing to make this bottling happen.
The decision to bottle a cask like this under the Cask of Distinction program cannot be purely commercial, there must be some inherent appreciation towards the distillery and there must be a desire to possess something truly special, something so great it warrants the conversation of whether this is one of the best ever from Clynelish.
For me this is very close to scoring three stars..
☆☆ [Highly Recommended]
-Nicholas
WhiskNick 