Clynelish - 2000-2020 - Whisky Sponge - 48,5%
Photo taken at Roche Bobois Stuttgart
Clynelish is a highly praised distillery, very dynamic and steeped in history and at the same time closely linked to the legendary Brora distillery. Then there is Whisky Sponge, an outrageous, cynical and shameless Whiskywriter from Scotland, who picks and bottles (mostly outstanding) casks from time to time and drags their creators through the mire. Since irony, sarcasm and humour are strange to us, we cannot support and promote such mockery!
Nose
The sun arises high and bright, sending us rays of the purest almond paste with splashes of sour apple juice, crushed macadamias, vanilla cake and bee's wax. Indeed, the distinct waxines is remarkable. Say also hello to a sour touch of white grape marc, a lot of physalis, sourdough and highland porridge. But strangely enough we couldn't find the lightly used badger tampons described on the backlabel. Come on, let's find something really bad!
Palate
Lo and behold, is this even alcohol? It's so silky and smooth, almost like pure oil, that comes with a light body and a strong honey sweetnes. We can't fight the feeling that the Sponge's trying to slip us some apple cider with fabricated chinese honey. The sour apples, the vanilla cake with lemons and the porridge, it's all in here. Good that it's smooth, but since we're no Bud Light Beer Geeks from the Unites States, we do miss a small amount of power in this scotch. Objection your honor: some say that it's perfectly balanced! As Goethe didn't say, two souls dwell in our breast and each seaks two rule with each other.
Finish
Long and mild, with a lovely bitternes of lemons and grapefruits and that oiliness again, that keeps sticking on our palates like silicone on a tile. Can somebody please hand us some degreaser or a glass of Hampden to rinse?
Rating
Dear readers, time to get serious again. Some distilleries create distillates that do not need any strong cask doping, first fill wine finishes or similar gimmicks to be great. Clyenlish clearly plays in this league. We have to admit that we really liked this one. But true to our commitment of non-promoting to thee the sponge, as King Solomon before us, we proclaim to 'drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.' On the other hand, don't throw bricks when you live in a glass house.
