New Release: Clynelish 18 Year Old The Whisky Exchange for The Whisky Show 2014

A rich, sherry-forward malt that feels uncharacteristically old-school. Clynelish CLYNELISH 18yo Speciality Drinks (THE WHISKY EXCHANGE) for The Whisky Show 2014 50.6%, The nose is dominated by a heavy, rich sherry character with notes of plum jam, prunes, black sugar, chocolate, coffee, oil, herbs, and sweet rum. It's rich and luscious. On the palate, it has a slick, oily texture with chocolate-covered orange, coffee, berry jam, and tanned leather. The sweetness is thick and somewhat flat, but the tannic astringency is well-balanced with clove, herbs, and a hint of bitterness. The finish is long, rich, and satisfying. This Clynelish 18yo was bottled by Speciality Drinks (The Whisky Exchange) for The Whisky Show in London. While the exact vintage is unclear, it's likely from around 1995 or 1996. From the outset, the nose is strongly dominated by a heavy sherry character, but it carries a different nuance than the overly artificial sherry notes found in recent releases. The aroma is rich and full of good sherry character, with notes of jam, dried fruit, black sugar, chocolate, coffee, and herbs. The sweet rum-like aroma was also impressive. On the palate, it has a thick, sticky texture with strong, rich sherry notes of fruit, herbs, and spices. While the thick sweetness felt slightly flat, there was no over-ripeness, and the tannic astringency was well-balanced. The finish was sweet, rich, and long-lasting. Clynelish is a distillery with a clear house style in recent releases, but this one felt more like the cask character was dominating over the spirit's original personality. That said, it was a very complex, rich, and satisfying bottle. It had a slightly intense sweetness that could be tiring to drink, but the satisfaction of one glass was certainly fulfilled.