Whisky Review: Clynelish Select Reserve Special Release 2015

Style: Citus-y and Complex

Nose:
Lemon peel, Sprite lightly mixed with peppermint schnapps to give a satisfying warmth. Mineralic and coastal peat echoing a gentle whisper. Orange confectionaries sprinkled with citrus salt. Barley scattered around carelessly while a thin layer of wax coated around the core. Light pencil shavings and floral fragrance sitting at the bottom. You can feel there are multiple elements at play here. A highly complex nose.

Palate:
Begins with more lemon citrus, cedar wood arrives earlier than expected. Orange, pineapple and grapefruit fully immersed in nectar, the sweetness is building carefully on top of barley and agar agar foundation. Tropical fruits, candlewax, rich caramel, coconut shreds with another touch of peppermint. Malt syrup crystallized beautifully towards the end.

Finish:
A rather barley-dominated finish, whereas the other elements – orange, vanilla, honey-lemon jelly gradually surface after a while.

Thoughts:
I remember this Clynelish has stirred controversy when it came out with a whopping $A950 price tag slapped on it. How a NAS (No Age Statement) can cost this much was beyond comprehension for many. To clarify things, I read the little booklet in the package box and it says, “Selecting some of our oldest reserve and using only whiskies at least fifteen years…” Hence, technically speaking, it is a 15 years old Clynelish packaged as NAS. While the concept of this product is an intriguing one, but I rather not delve too much into it as my review is long enough as it is. Back to the whisky, there is definitely a modern vibe to it, but at the same time it feels the older component does unlock the complexity of the spirit, an array of nuances displayed nicely without being overpowered by its core signatures. A highly technical dram, and whether it is worth the price tag probably depends on how much you want to pay for a delicious and beautifully executed whisky.

☆☆ [Highly Recommended]