Clynelish 1997, bottled by Samaroli in June 2016 — a single-cask Northern Highland single malt | 19 years old, cask no. 6938, 300 bottles, 45% volume, non-chill-filtered, natural colour. Clynelish's waxy, maritime, metallic character is one of the most distinctive in Scotland; Samaroli's description — 'a Scotsman who ploughs through the routes of the Hellenic Mediterranean' — speaks to the house's poetic approach to selection. A rare 19-year Clynelish from a storied Italian independent. MATURATION: single cask no. 6938, distilled 1997 at Clynelish, bottled June 2016 by Samaroli after 19 years of maturation, outturn of 300 bottles at 45% volume. Natural colour, non-chill-filtered. Samaroli chose this cask specifically for its maritime-metallic profile — an expression of Clynelish's signature waxiness amplified by nearly two decades of quiet maturation. SERVING: neat in a Glencairn at room temperature; the waxy, saline character opens slowly and rewards patience. Add water sparingly — no more than 3–5 drops — as this style can lose definition with over-dilution. Best approached without preconceptions: it is unlike most Speyside or Island whiskies in the collection. An ideal pairing with smoked fish, oysters or lightly brined cheeses.
Tasting notes
Natural pale gold, clear brightness typical of Samaroli's uncoloured selections.
Salty nose with wet-wood tones — like the breath of a boat that both coexists and contends with the sea. Lavender and oyster notes rise like rocks in the waves.
Restless on the palate, elusive, swift. Spicy tones race through the mouth like a toccata — lively, rhythmic, worthy of the finest composers.
The finish runs like a fugue: you seem to hear the vibrating sound of a single malt that goes beyond its own limits — spicy, maritime, long-drawn.
Founded in 1819 by the Duke of Sutherland at Brora, on the east coast of the Northern Highlands, Clynelish is today one of Scotland's most prized distilleries — both for its key role in the Johnnie Walker blend and for the unique character of its single malt. The current distillery was built in 1967 alongside the older site, which was renamed Brora before closing in 1983 (and reopening in 2021). Clynelish is famous for its waxy signature — a fatty, almost oily texture produced by residue deliberately retained in intermediate feints receivers — combined with citrus, beeswax and a subtle maritime peat note. Long bottled almost exclusively by independents such as Samaroli, Gordon & MacPhail or Signatory, Clynelish finally earned official recognition with the release of the Clynelish 14 Years Classic Malts.
