Clynelish 1993 - Prima & Ultima

One of the first casks filled after the mysterious waxiness of Clynelish was understood and perfected. This 26-year-old small batch release is aromatic and intense, with a waxy, creamy smooth quality that is now the distillery’s hallmark.

Bottled: 9.12.19 | Refill American Oak Casks
Number Bottled: 941 | Brora, Sutherland 

One of eight bottlings in the Prima & Ultima Collection.

"Taste this aromatic and intense 26 year old Clynelish and you’ll probably notice at once the waxy, creamy smooth quality that is its hallmark. Yet after the new distillery was built here fifty years ago that unusual waxiness could have easily been lost. No one really knew how it came about, and some even thought that it was brought out by the water from the Clynemilton Burn, which we used for distilling. Finally, not long before these casks were filled, we found out that the secret really lay in the way the stills were run, which affected how the feints and low wines gathered. Now we understood where that glorious waxy smoothness came from, we could at last protect it.

The refill American Oak hogsheads I have chosen here perfectly show the outcome. Twenty-six years later, their whisky is now at its peak, with a pleasing, creamy-smooth texture and a sweetly fruity taste that quickly develops into a spicy intensity. The finish is sweet and spicy, too, with a charming hint of honeycomb. Those fortunate enough to enjoy it will be able to appreciate the full depth of that delightful waxy character in this sublime small release."

- Dr Jim Beveridge OBE