Clynelish 15 Year Old 1997 The Whisky Mercenary for Beproefd

Beproefd.be is a Flemish drinks writers collective of which I know a couple personally. To promote their site, they thought it would be a nice idea to release a limited bottling. In collaboration with The Whisky Mercenary they launched 65 bottles of a cask strength 15 years old Clynelish 1997. I already know that this is a good vintage.

On the nose, it is bulls eye from the start! Waxy with honey, grapefruit and crystalized lemon. Flints and wet rocks. Some green grass. Evolves slowly towards pineapple to end in Turkish Delight. Hints of nuts and even some nougat in the background.

It is spicy and creamy at the attack. Immediately I get a truckload of citrus, pink grapefruit up front. Halfway through a great smokiness with a salty lining emerges. Sweet peat. Quinine? Ginger, no doubt.And a pinch of white pepper. The tannins do what they are supposed to, giving it a wonderful bitterness that is so typical for Clynelish 1997. I am not going to add water to this, for he needs it not.

It dies a bittersweet death on warm spices and grapefruit. It remains creamy until the death.

Well, this bottling surely gives them a grand entrance. This Clynelish 1997 is among the better that I have tried. Successful promotional stunt, if you ask me. Available at Beproefd.be for 75 EUR. I suggest you do not procrastinate.

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