Review #103: Clynelish 16yr 1996/2012, 52.3%, Whiskyman and Lindores, refill bourbon hogshead, 239 bottles

looking for the wax

It seems like it's been a while since I've had any Clynelish; I'm not sure that's true. My current worry is that Clynelish will become a generic apple/hay/vanilla malt, and lose its distinctive character. But this one is from 1996, so it should be safe.

nose: some sour apples, some nice dark smoke, mown grass, a little linseed oil ... and then finally opens up to to some nice sweet beeswax. (it actually didn't take that long.) still quite smoky, and has some nice Loire-wine notes, too.

palate: beautifully waxy palate, grass and smoke are very sharp in contrast, with lots of malt sugars and honey, bitter herbs, a little lemon pepper.

finish: long, more of the same.


I could imagine someone not liking this -- maybe it's not fruit enough or smoky enough or needs more flavors. But I can't imagine me not liking it.

score: 88

Review #81: Bowmore 11yr 2001/2013, The Whiskyman, 50.6%, ex-bourbon, 240 bottles

Into the naughts ...

whiskyfun did a Bowmore review today. One of Serge's points was that there's a big difference between the austere, superpeaty early 2000's and the lighter, fruitier mid-2000's, though I'm not sure it really worked out that way. of course, he could have also mentioned the FWP-89's, the fruity and peaty '93's, the various mid-90's vintages ... For me what's remarkable is that in the past year or so it seems like about 10yrs of vintages have been bottled. I hope someone's holding something back, or we'll have to suck Bowmore out of the still with big straws by this time next year.

I don't have any of the ones Serge reviewed, so I'll try this one.

nose: I really like this profile. Wood smoke and pickled plums, with hints of bitter herbs and sweetness (cotton candy, toffee). Smaller notes of rotting hay, motor oil, and spicy licorice. A twist of lemon.

rich, salty palate just like the nose. all the individual flavors come through. the peat smoke is strong but approachable: I feel like I can taste whatever's burning. (what's burning is: oily wood, pickled plums, and rotting hay). finish is suitably long -- phenolic pickled plums.

This is really good. I can live with Bowmore getting younger and younger if they stay like this. I wish I could find the grapefruit and tropical fruit that Serge talked about, but not here. Still, if you don't like this profile, you're dumb.

score: 89