Three weeks ago or so Came another single casks release by one of my favorite independent bottlers : Wemyss. as always, each malt (or grain in this instance) has a unique name which characteriszes it, I was lucky to be able to sample three of the recent batch (which was EPIC in size – 12 different casks). Two very different casks, one a single malt, and one a single grain from Invergordon.
Vintage Strawberry Punnet, Invergordon, 1988, € 89
Nose: sweet and desert like. Berries on top of vanilla cream , spices and wood. Perfumed and peppery too, with a sweet grainy note , maybe corn.
Palate: very sweet with a hefty amount of wood and sweet fruit and milk chocolate filled with vanilla cream with strawberry flavoured bits.
Finish: perfumed and sweet. Milk chocolate. Wood and cocoa.
Conclusion:
A very enjoyable single grain, but nothing spectacular. Will do well on a hot day , or springtime in Israel.
Score: 83/100
And now something completely different, as they say (Gota love Monty Python, right?)
Bench with a Sea View, Clynelish 1997
Nose: quite woody to start with. Toasted oak. A hit waxy as in fresh waxed floor . Also green with wet grass and a sea breeze and a slight saline feel.
Palate: much more wood varnish with a spicy edge: pepper clove and toasted wood. Bitter espresso and Citrus. Toasted oak. Dry.
Finish: Dry Wooden shelves. Dusty.
Conclusion:
This is actually a very good cask, got to love Clynelish , and this is not an easy whisky, not for a beginner, but it’s very enojyable and needs time and patience. Certainly worthwhile getting if you can find it (I was unable to find it online, but some shops should stock it soon I hope).
Score: 87/100
Official samples provided by Wemyss Malts.