I’ve started so I will finish.

Christmas this year has not gone to plan and its now the 8th of January and I am just getting around to the 21st day of the Christmas Advent Calendar. Its a bit of a shame but I am determined to get this stuff out there so here we go.

The Distillery

The Clynelish distillery is a well regarded and dependable distillery in the village of Brora. A place which I am sure is famous for some other distillery the name of which escapes me but apparently it will be getting rebuilt and opening up again soon.

Originally built but the Duke of Sutherland the distillery was staffed by former farmers from the estate which were forced off their land for the better returns gained from sheep farming. A practice taught in History lessons extensively in Scotland and known as the Highland Clearances. Another beautiful aspect of the Duke’s new business ventures was the staff were not paid in money but rather tokens which could only get them goods from shops on the estate also owned by the Duke. A properly appalling practice of exploitation which was widespread in the 19th century but outlawed thankfully by the 20th.

Clynelish B was built in 1968 which worked alongside and then instead of the original distillery. Come 1969 though and the original distillery was reopened and renamed and Brora which was then closed in 1983 alongside a collection of others. The rest as they say is history.

The Dram

The 7th batch of 21 year old Clynelish was bottled at 47.8% ABV. As you will be sick of hearing now the usual indi rules apply on the colouring and filtering front. There were 1174 50cl bottles released and they are now all gone. Given the name and the age though they would have been expensive originally and no doubt even more so now at auction.

Tasting Notes

Colour – golden

Nose – tart apples and warm apple pies

Palate – Caramel sauce over ice-cream given a thick waxy texture and sweet approach. This sweet side is complemented with a herbal and minty undertone.

Finish – sharp and tart finish with orchard fruits and under ripe ones at that. Overall its drying and full of spearmint and polo mint sweets.

Final Thoughts

Yeh this is one of the good ones. Sometimes indi bottles can be hit or miss and this one for sure was a hit.