1997 Clynelish 18 Year Old Hepburn's Choice K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

Despite our best efforts, Clynelish remains one of Scotland's most under-appreciated distilleries. Reason being, the owners don't bother marketing this special whisky. Truth be told, it's such an important component of their high-end blends that any traction on the single malt side could negatively affect blending stocks. Regardless, we occasionally get access to this special, rare distillate, and each time we find a great cask, I'm reminded of why it's so coveted by connoisseurs in the first place. Vibrant and alive, this mid-aged Clynelish shows incredible richness and depth. It's not sappy or sweet by any means, but textured and mouth-filling nonetheless. When we talk about minerals in a single malt, this should be held up as a prime example. Here, the typical bright pomace fruit of modern Clynelish taking a background to the cracked rock and mineral oil aromas at first. With a touch of water, earthen tones (fresh tobacco, rich beeswax, and hints of smoke) pop open. A little later a blast of citrus, lemon peel, ripe melon, and blistering structure. The distillery really is just a stone’s throw from the sea, and we can feel that here. Altogether a fabulous example of why I absolutely love Clynelish. The complexity is of this whisky cannot be understated.