Clynelish 1997 17 YO Liquid Art

Clynelish 1997 17 YO, 53,3 %

There seems to be something slightly magical about Clynelish from the mid 1990s. Or maybe it's just that Clynelish at cask strength and an age in the mid to late teens hits a sweet spot? It could also be that there seems to have been a lot of casks from that period sold off from the distillery, and now ending up as single cask releases from independent bottlers. The answer could of course be a combination of all these reasons, and a few more. The bottom line is that I have a special place in my whisky heart for single cask Clynelish teenagers from the mid 90s. I was therefore very happy to try this Clynelish 1997 17 YO from Liquid Art.

This whisky was distilled in 1997, matured in an unspecified cask and bottled in 2014. The outturn for this release is given as 132 bottles, which indicates the cask was shared with an other bottler.

The guys at Liquid Art have used a different artist on this fourth release. Where the first three had art by Raymond Minnen, this one has artwork by Jef Geys.

The Clynelish 1997 17 YO from Liquid Art is sadly sold out by now, but keep an eye out for the next release by this independent bottler.

Nose (23/25): Love these waxy lemon notes. It's full, rich and fresh. Prosecco and strawberries. Slightly fizzy feel. Mild oak, and a hint of liquid detergent (in a good way, I assure you!).

Taste (23/25): Rich, fruity and smooth. The waxiness that I really love Clynelish for, is here in full. It is delightfully fruity as well; mild citrus notes mixed with sweet apples, pears and maybe even some grapefruit. White pepper and ginger rounds off a very nice palate.

Finish (22/25): Soft and delicate all the way. It does pick up a bit of sweet licorice and hints of mint along the way. It is warm, long and lingering.

Balance (23/25): Wow! The guys at Liquid Art are really getting the hang of this. What a stunner!

Score (91/100)

Sláinte! - Thomas