Rare Malts Selection Clynelish 1974 Aged 23 Years

Style: Sweet and Spicy

Rating: ☆☆ [Highly Recommended]

Nose:

Enchanting sweetness of overripe mango, lime, lemon, oranges and honeydew. Light wood smoke, assorted gummies stacking carefully on a delicate peppermint spice foundation. Almonds, beachside Curaçao cocktails, Ribena and a small sprinkle of red chilli seeds. Faint copper hue with a beautiful glazed Ovaltine malt. The waxiness glides in at the back and gradually takes over.

Palate:

Similar to what the nose suggested, but perhaps more on the dry side. Orange and lime at the front; the wax starts early and is in great abundance despite being quite shy and subtle. An early entrance of wood spice and barley makes it a predominantly bitter-sweet expression. Lemon lamingtons, barley powder, nutmeg and turmeric form a secondary layer. Chilli spice flares up at the back, with grass, minerals, mint and winter melon candies to the end.

Finish:

Malt with a light smear of candle wax and mandarin gum. Cranberries pop up from mocha foam.

Thoughts:

Very rarely do we get to taste 1970s Clynelish these days, and I feel it is imperative to do a side-by-side with a modern one of similar specification (1995, aged 23 years). The core DNA is highly similar - the same spectrum of fruits, waxiness and oiliness - while the Rare Malt is harsher, cleaner and drier but offers more depth and complexity. The modern one is easier, sweeter, fuzzier and more boring. I am not sure how much is down to cask selection and bottle effect, but the difference is there. Personally, I prefer the old-school versions, which give you more to contemplate and imagine.

[59.1% | 1974 Distilled | 1998 Bottled | Vatting | Natural Cask Strength | Bottle Number: 2833]