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.
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