Berry Bros. & Rudd Clynelish 1997 Aged 17 Years

Style: Herbal, Fruity and Waxy

Rating: ☆ [Recommended]

Nose:

Fresh lemon-orange citrus gleaming brightly, while peppermint coating around the sweetness. Barley, a touch of Eau de vie, and flinty mineral notes sit under the surface. Sawdust laid down carefully in between layers. Fresh herbal tone and liquorice sticks to give some greenness and earthiness at its tail.

Palate:

Ripe grapefruit reduced into luscious syrup - fruity sweetness resonates charmingly on the palate. Citrus oil with a slight bitter edge to it. Green grass, liquorice and candlewax forming a secondary layer to contribute a decent texture to the spirit. Vanilla oak dissolves and thoroughly saturate the barley. More bitterness sinks in at the back, herbal tea and wood smoke to finish.

Finish:

Overbearing oak clings on, it takes quite a while to recover its balance and eventually we get to see some citrus malt at the end.

Thoughts:

A rather fruit-forward Clynelish which offers a satisfyingly sweetness, while the herbal tone sits back and maintains the balance of the spirit, and nuances working quietly under surface. The oak does overstep from time to time and disrupts the expression. One can argue it is flawed, but overall it is still a bright and direct whisky that can tickle your fancy for Clynelish. Low 1 star I guess.

[55.2% | Independent Bottling | Distilled 1997 | Bottled 2014 | Cask Strength | Single Cask | Non-Coloured | Cask Reference: 4050 | *]

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