New Release: Clynelish Official Select Reserve Limited Release 2014

The contents met expectations but were surprisingly high in price. Clynelish CLYNELISH OB SELECT RESERVE LIMITED RELEASE 2014 54.9% One of 2964 bottles The aroma features dry apricot, orange peel, a matured strong barley note, black tea, beeswax wax, tree sap. Upon drinking, it starts with a viscous mouthfeel before turning spicy, with the flavor of slightly under-ripe orange, ginger, a touch of youthfulness but savory malt, sweet richness with body, oak depth to enhance the flavor, and a slightly oily long finish. [Good/Very Good] This is an official new release from Clynelish, the Select Reserve. Although there are no indications of vintage or aging period, it is a high-priced bottle nearing 100,000 yen. The aroma had the expected apricot and orange notes with a clear beeswax wax nuance, but what stood out was the strong yet well-rounded matured barley character and a plain cask feel typical of Diageo's special releases. It gave the expected viscous sensation but not overly so, gradually becoming spicy. There was freshness in the barley character along with its savory depth, and sweetness had a rich body. As with the aroma, there was no strong cask influence but rather a balanced oak nuance that deepened the flavor. While it has the feel of a Diageo special release, the aroma lacks strong special characteristics and feels more like a traditional product. I believe they selected good casks as is typical for official releases, but since the distillery originally has more character in its spirit than cask influence, personally I have some doubts about the cost-to-value ratio. This bottle was obtained from Mr. Ian at Mitsukoshi-Mae. #Clynelish (CLYNELISH)