This is from the late 2016 batch of casks released by Claxton’s: a Glen Elgin 1995. It’s nice to see this bottler is reaching out to a wider audience and more retailers lately.
Glen Elgin 20 yo 1995 (51,5%, Claxton’s 2016, refill hogshead #1609-1671, 294 btl.)
Nose: fresh fruity notes, especially peaches, melons and tinned pineapple. It’s not just a simple fruity Speysider though. There’s something of cardamom and potpourri. Then some wax candles, oil paint and linseed oil. Some lightly toasted oak as well.
Mouth: the peaches are back for a while, with white grape juice, but then it shifts towards sweet grass juices and biscuity malt. Sappy wood, resinous notes and something fragrant. Lavender / perfumy / geranium notes. Hints of grapefruit.
Finish: the fragrant, perhaps hoppy side stays strong and brings a certain dry note and an oaky edge.
While this has some very nice touches (the waxy fruitiness) the fragrant, perfumy side is not entirely convincing. Did someone at Glen Elgin try to mimic FWP at some point? I find it difficult to score. Around € 110.
Score: 85/100