May 16, 2013

Trying four 1997 Clynelish, or the joys of consistency

1997 was a good year at Clynelish and it’s always a joy to try these zesty, nervous and often very mineral drams. Especially when you’re a lover of genuine Alsatian Riesling… But warning, there can be lame ducks…

Clynelish 15 yo 1997/2012 (46%, The Coopers Choice, sherry butt, cask #9112, 360 bottles) Colour: gold. Nose: fresh and zesty but the (light) sherry tends to make it lose a part of that freshness in my opinion. It’s also a tad too butyric, so not my favourite 1997 Clynelish so far. It’s got something slightly sour in the background, even if there are also nice whiffs of menthol, which I enjoy. Mouth: I like this better. The candy sugar blends well with the moderately waxy profile, we’re also having a little white chocolate and then this feeling of limoncello that we often get in youngish Clynelish. A little Demerara sugar. This is good. Finish: rather long, candied again. Crème brûlée in Clynelish? Peppery aftertaste. Comments: maybe it’s a notch unlikely, and the nose may well not be very typical, but it remains a very fine, full-bodied dram. SGP:451 - 81 points.

Clynelish 15 yo 1997/2012 (53.2%, Chester Whisky, bourbon hogshead, 197 bottles) Colour: white wine. Nose: mineral and waxy, a tad paraffiny as well, which may not be absolutely great here. Whiffs of sea water, then grass and maybe agaves. With water: nah, now its great, it just needed to swim a bit. Shoe polish, rocks and lemon. Mouth (neat): yeah, a crisp, zesty, precise, full-bodied Clynelish that takes no prisoners, as they say. Big lemon, wax and… Riesling. Just wee touches of bubblegum as well. With water: no more bubblegum, rather kumquats and bergamots. Finish: long, clean, pure and fresh. Comments: I won’t wax lyrical ;-). There are (even) better ones out there but this one is just great. SGP:362 - 87 points.

Clynelish 14 yo 1997/2012 (54.8%, Whisky Tales, cask #6473, 120 bottles) Colour: straw. Nose: same as above, only a notch crisper, maybe… With water: same comments. Superb nose. Mouth (neat): again, almost the same whisky as above. I won’t copy-and-paste everything, mind you. With water: same. Maybe this one’s a wee notch rounder and sweeter? Maybe the cask was a tad more active? Finish: same comments. Comments: same ballpark, obviously. No reasons to score this differently. SGP:462 – 87 points.

Clynelish 14 yo 1997/2011 (55.5%, Berry Bros & Rudd, USA, casks #4654-61) Colour: straw. Nose: there, almost the same whisky again. Good, maybe this one is even more mineral and crisp than the others… Maybe a notch grassier as well. With water: no, it’s just the same whisky as above. Variations are infinitesimal. Mouth (neat): same as the other ones. Maybe a tad fruitier? I seem to find strawberries and pomegranates. With water: indeed, it’s a little fruitier now. Goes well. Finish: it’s actually got a Tasliker-y side. Excuse me. So a little more pepper. Comments: fruitier at times, sometimes a little rougher… Ah, the joy of tasting ‘remote sister casks’! Even if these babies make you scratch your hair a bit. SGP:462 - 87 points.
(and thank you, Todd)

Check the index of all Clynelish I've tasted so far