Clynelish 1970s

Information

Distillery: Clynelish
Bottling: Gordon & MacPhail
Age: 12
Distilled: 1960s?
Bottled: 1970s?
Strength: 70 proof (40%)

This is a lovely old style Clynelish from when Gordon & MacPhail was the official licensed bottler. With the strength listed as proof rather than ABV I know it was bottled at the most recent the late 70s which would put distillation in at least the late 1960s. This is only the most recent, but it could be older. I will contact Gordon & MacPhail to see if they can supply any information.

For such a young age and a low alcohol percentage, this is a very oily and viscous spirit. Has it not been chill-filtered or is it just a heavier bodied spirit anyway?

Nose: This has a very citus nose with freshly squeezed orange juice and touches of tangerine in there as well. Lemon icing on sponge cake. The body of the spirit is reflected in the nose as well with a thick waxiness. Wavering around the background is a gentle and lovely sootyness.

Palate: This is as expected a very thick and oily spirit with lots of body. Suprisingly for only 40% it has a higher alcohol kick than I would expect, and more than I would get from any modern malts at 40%. I hazard a guess that the heavier body is allowing the spirit to stick to the palate a lot more than more watery spirits. Just a guess.

Finish: A very long finish that is spicy, dusty and sooty. Citric. Some soapy elements which have been noted in old miniatures by other people. Likely an effect of the fats breaking down to soap over time.

Comments: If I ever get a chance to buy a full bottle of this and I am sure they exist on some collectors dusty shelf somewhere, I shall purchase it.

McClelland's Highland single malt whisky

Information

Name: McClelland's Highland
Distillery: McClelland's (Morrison-Bowmore)
Type: Single malt whisky

Age: NAS

Strength: 40%

 

This is an interesting one, and one which I have been wanting to taste for a while because McClelland's is a single malt range produced by Morrison-Bowmore to represent the Highland, Speyside, Lowland and Islay regions. Morrison-Bowmore happen to own three distilleries who cover three of those areas, and their only distillery in the Highland region is my favourite Glen Garioch.

 

 

 

Nose: Bright and fresh. Fruity and estery. The trademark Glen Garioch pear notes for me are very distinct here. Pear Drops and Tinned Pears with vanilla ice cream. Tinned fruit salad, tangerine, lemon, and grapefruit. Something younger and solvent like there as well. Very malty - mash tuns and still rooms. You can smell the distillery itself oozing out of this. Some feinty notes of candlewax and honey. The wood influence is quite minimal here and just sitting to the background. Soft toffee, Mr Kipling's lemon sponge cakes.

 

Palate: Smooth, bright and fruity. Pear, grapefruit and tangerine againe. Sweet and malty, biscuity like buttery shortbread fingers.

 

Finish: Shortish. Malty and biscuity. 

 

Comments: Young but delightful.

69.14 Complex and delightful (Glen Albyn 28 year old)

Information

Distillery: Glen Albyn (Closed)

Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Age: 28

Distilled: 1979
Bottled: 2008

Strength: 57.6%

Cask: Refill ex-sherry butt.

Cask Code: 69.14 Complex and delightful

 

This was an interesting find if only for the fact it comes from the Glen Albyn distillery, which closed during the distillery masacre of 1983. The distillery was close to Inverness and although technically a Highland distillery, it was regarded as some as a Speysider. Read about the Glen Albyn on Malt Madness.

 

 

 

Nose: This is light and delicate and instantly recognisable as an ex fino sherry cask. Very dry with apple, dusty libraries and lofts (attics). Some little lemon, and a hint of salty sea air. The nose is very closed on this and needs coaxed opening with some water to start giving up its secrets. I would tend to not add water in my own reviews because I try and review it right out the bottle to keep my results consistent and repeatable, but this is one of the exceptions to my rule as I could sit forever trying to coax something out it. With water we now get more happening with peach, toasted coconut, and a little leather. I am now eating Edinburgh Castle Rock and Parma Violet sweets inside a dusty woody Sawmill, and someone is cutting the grass outside. I also have pepper and ginger, McVitties Rich Tea biscuits, and also like mashed potato or tattie (potato) scones. An old distant smokey peatiness is emerging as well.

 

Palate: More sweetness than the nose, with that dry fino character dominating. Waxy and resinous.

 

Finish: Dry apple, with ginger spice. Sooty, earthy and waxy.

 

Comments: It is always nice to try something from the 1970s, if only because a romanticism forms once malts were distilled before I was born and hint at a generation past where production methods and the industry was much more different. This was interesting and complex in time, but don't expect anything jumping out the glass at you from it.