Here’s an accessible Clynelish 1997 launched in Germany. It was part of a whole series bottled to celebrate The Whisky Fair 2011.
Clynelish 13 yo 1997 (48,9%, The Whisky Fair 2011, bourbon hogshead, 170 btl.)
Nose: typical round Clynelish, with sweet apples and pears, some vanilla and a few flinty / waxy notes. A little leather. Fresh lemon. Fresh oak shavings. Faint grassiness. Unsurprising but that’s not a bad thing! Mouth: even sweeter than expected, with pineapple sweets and pear drops. Some rounded oak which gives way to a little pepper and ginger. Wax. Then moving to grassy notes and softly bitter notes (grapefruit).
Finish: medium long and zesty with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Young and solid Clynelish. Around € 50, readily available. Good value for money.
Score: 86/100