Clynelish 19 Year Old 1990 Riverstown

To be honest, until recently I had not even heard of the Riverstown Whisky Company, but according to Whiskybase they already have bottled quite a few casks. I was told that Robin Tucek, the man behind Blackadder, is also owner of this company and that these releases were meant primarily for export to the Far East. Whatever, I got a sample of this pale 19 Year Old Clynelish.

The nose is rife with honey and sweet malt, but also beeswax and some farmy notes. It is quite sweet and mildly spicy. Think vanilla (a lot in fact) and ginger. There is a clear medicinal touch that I quite like. Grapefruit is the fruit on duty. It is really fatty.

On the palate, this is unmistakably Clynelish. Candle wax, citrus fruit (pink grapefruit and lime), pepper, ginger, liquorice and quinine. Mildly bitter and slightly salty. The medicinal notes return. Powerful dram, actually.

The finish is surprisingly short, peppery and sweet. Leans towards flints.

I would not have recognized it on the nose, but on the palate it is a textbook Clynelish. Around 95 EUR.

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