Clynelish 12-year-old Bottled 2009 / Tube / 46% / 0.7l

An extraordinary edition of Clynelish, bottled in 2009 for members of the Friends of Classic Malts society .

The whisky has spent 12 years in sherry casks and is quite different to the widely available entry-level 14-year-old, which is made from spirits aged mainly in bourbon casks. Clynelish is a large distillery based in the northern Highlands. The planned expansion will increase its distilling capacity to 9 million litres of alcohol.

Aroma: slightly malty, beeswax, peat, lemon peel, sea breeze and a delicate fruity note.

Taste: lots of fruity sweetness – oranges, apples, gooseberries – balanced with spicy notes of pepper and ginger.

Finish: quite long, dried fruit, sea salt and oak bitterness.