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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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Might 8, 2025
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The Time-Warp Classes: Outdated Clynelish is again on the tasting desk
To commemorate the official finish of WWII in Europe, 80 years in the past. Cease killing youngsters, cease all wars.
(SMD/DCL)
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Quite oddly, we found ‘Outdated’ Clynelish through Brora, because it was after we tasted the latter for the primary time that, after two or three fast searches, we realized the traditional historical past of this legendary Highland malt, notably that it was known as Clynelish, till its whisky was renamed ‘Brora’ as a substitute of, very briefly, ‘Clynelish II’, a choice made by the D.C.L. as early as December 1969. And never in 1975, as just a few distinguished sources proceed to assert – though, gulp, we have simply seen that ChatGPT is, kind of… proper.
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In any case, we revealed our first tasting notes for the well-known ‘Outdated’ Clynelishes greater than twenty years in the past, and maybe is it excessive time we revisited the 2 best-known variations: the 12-year-old ‘mild vatting’ and the 12-year-old ‘darkish vatting’ bottled for M Di Chiano in Italy, each at 43% ABV as a substitute of the 70° proof/40% ABV of the British releases. Then we’ll add a really uncommon older model…
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Clynelish 12 yo (43%, OB for Di Chiano, mild vatting, quick golden cap, early Seventies) 
Il’s price allowing for that Clynelish ceased utilizing its personal maltings in 1965, so these earlier batches have been nonetheless very a lot ‘floor-malted on web site’, which could partly clarify their wealthy, textured physique, regardless of the low bottling power. Naturally, the 100° proof variations completed for Giaccone are a special kettle of fish altogether… Again then, M Di Chiano in Milan was Clynelish’s unique importer for Italy. Color: white wine. Nostril: the smoke right here is relatively extra dominant than in different outdated Clynelish, with heaps of ashes, paraffin, linseed oil, these delicately balsamic notes we’re so keen on, plus chalk, limestone, almond oil, citrus, a chalky, cementy edge, hints of spent fireworks, seaweed… Surely, that is probably the most ‘Islay’ of the outdated Clynelishes, and it’s hardly stunning that the house owners selected this distillery to pursue an ‘Islay-style’ whisky in direction of the top of the Nineteen Sixties. That’s the spirit of Brora. Mouth: a tad austere at first, very Outdated Clynelish, all on lemons, menthol, camphor and, as soon as once more, a surprisingly peaty character. At the least, in contrast with different variations. Pretty yeasty, saline touches, and by no means does it bow its head. End: supremely lengthy, salty, filled with ashes, seaweed and soot. That sootiness is a little bit of a trademark right here as properly. Feedback: at all times an enormous pleasure to revisit these infants, massively elegant but with that rustic contact we like. In any case, this can be a true Highland malt. Naturally, the 100° proof bottlings belong to an excellent greater league.
SGP:365 – 92 factors. |
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Clynelish 12 yo (43%, OB for Di Chiano, darkish vatting, quick golden cap, early Seventies)
A darker batch, well-known in its personal proper, although I’ve no thought the place the stark distinction in color stems from. Extra sherry? Extra first-fill? Extra caramel? One ought to recall that in these days the development leaned in direction of ‘lightness’, and paler hues have been thought to point a lighter spirit. Color: gold. Nostril: fairly a special beast altogether, nearly actually extra sherry-driven, with a extra expansive nostril displaying farmyardy and even meaty tones (smoked bacon), already hinting on the polishes (steel, leather-based, wooden) that will later develop into hallmarks of early Brora. Beautiful notes of dried mushrooms (morels, porcini), espresso, pu-ehr tea and tobacco. Vastly spectacular. Mouth: however it’s nearly aggressive, regardless of over fifty years in glass! Smoked teas, cured meats, seaweed, tobacco, mandarins, a splash of seawater, then that proverbial wax… End: lengthy, extra austere, with the arrival of walnut wine, maybe from the sherry affect. Fairly peppery as properly. Feedback: my earlier notes—granted, for a special bottle—date again to January 2005. But I see no motive to change my older rating.
SGP:464 – 94 factors. |
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Clynelish 27 yo 1965 (51%, Scotch Malt Gross sales, Japan, 500ml, +/-1992)
The wee blurb on the label is an enthralling reminder of the ‘beginner’ nature of those bottlings on the time, very doubtless re-packaged from different legendary bottlings such because the 1965s from Signatory Classic or Cadenhead. ‘This whisky is casked malt served from the barrel on to this bottle for carring’, it reads, how totally pleasant, it is much more unlikely than the idle chit-chat on WF! In any case, this can be a very uncommon bottle, and it’s our first encounter with it, although given the status of those Japanese infants, we all know it’s within the glass, not on the label, that reality prevails. Correctly. Color: gold. Nostril: barely hesitant at first, it takes a superb thirty seconds or so for the complete ‘Outdated-Clynelishness’ to kick in, however when it does, it roars forth with boot polish and motor oil, adopted by pipe tobacco and bone-dry outdated white wines. Then come historical natural liqueurs and the entire contents of a granddad’s rusty toolbox… With water: musty outdated cellars, classic instruments, dried paint tins, and even a touch of coal mud. Mouth (neat): large, all on polish and citrus, so certainly, very Clynelish. Then faint touches of turnip and barely rancid butter. Not probably the most instantly charming of outdated Clynelish. With water: and bang, it opens huge—chartreuse, verbena, grapefruit liqueur, dill, eucalyptus, camphor, shellfish, waxes, propolis, pine sap… End: pretty lengthy, carrying those self same notes ahead, getting almost medicinal, and with a robust maritime edge. A ultimate flash of Sicilian citrus liqueur brings all of it to a detailed. Feedback: it’s not immensely highly effective, however even in spite of everything these years, it nonetheless wants water. A surprising Outdated Clynelish nonetheless, one which merely calls for your persistence to disclose its full, everlasting, spectacular glory.
SGP:563 – 95 factors. |
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(With heartfelt due to Max and KC)
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