Clynelish 10 Year (Single Malts of Scotland, Jack Rose Single Cask Selection)

 

Clynelish is a weird one: both legendary, yet in the wrong hands (including their own, sometimes) it can be quite underwhelming. A coastal Highland distillery, they are famous for the waxy character of their distillate over the years, due to collections that form in the wooden washbacks. Here is a more detailed look. 

This bottle was hand-selected by the good people over at the Jack Rose Saloon here in Washington DC; it's a 10 year old from a single cask (#800314, undoubtedly ex-bourbon, and likely 2nd fill). Bottled at 60.4% ABV with no coloration or filtration. I'm curious if the wax comes through here; in most of the Clynelish I've had I get more of a chalky minerality combined with a tremendously bright lemon sweetness. But once in a blue moon I get the Big Wax. Let's find out: 

Nose: Nose is a bit muted and shy: sour yellow fruit - apple and bittersweet lemon - with light brine and salinity. Vanilla and strong stony minerality. Hints of smoke. Typical leathery, dry Highland scent. 

With water: Nose opens up quite a bit: Nilla Wafers cookies, lemon and lemon zest, baked apple, spices, dust and leather, rock salt, flowers/heather... the more time it sits, the sweeter it becomes. Nilla Wafers is really the best description I can think of - big biscuity vanilla cookie scents. 

Mouthfeel: Oily, heavyish, viscous. 

Palate: Wow, as shy as the nose was, the palate is a bright carnival of flavor! Huge fruit blossoms immediately on the tongue: sweet, chalky lemon candy (Starburst), grapes, apples, pears... sweet malt, light smoke... grape candy (Jolly Ranchers brand). Young leather and salt. Some sawdust and baking spices. Just layers upon layers. 

With water: More balanced between sweet and coastal with water (which is to say, the coastal elements come forward). Lemon cookies, dusty dunnage (earth and slate), Smarties chalk candy, some of the elusive candle wax (especially around the sides of the mouth), sour fruit, spices, dry new leather, flower petals. This is less intensely sweet and probably better with water.  

Finish: Residual fruit, vague smokiness mineral aspects, wood and pepper, and chalk. 

Verdict: This is exactly what I should have anticipated: a more nuanced and more mature version of the endless young Clynelish bottles I've had from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. I still get lots of that chalky bright candy, but also darker and more astringent flavors, as well as a stronger coastal note than usual. With water it really becomes considerably oily and coastal, and when paired with the bright candy fruit it's surprisingly tasty. Perhaps that is the real Clynelish signature all along.