1995 Douglas Laing & Co. XOP Xtra Old Particular Clynelish 21 Year Old Single Cask Limited Release Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

A Clynelish with a decent age statement from Douglas Laing's acclaimed XOP series. Comes with all the right particulars (cask strength, NCF and single cask), plus very strong reviews from both Jim Murray and Serge Valentin of whiskyfun.com (see below). As a direct import, it's also $100 less than the official importer's price. 265 bottles produced. Super limited.

Other reviews... [cask #12014] So true to this magnificent distillery in full flow.
95.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020

Good vintage, good series, what could go wrong… Colour: straw. Nose: this is young riesling from a not-so-mineral terroir. Grapefruits and ripe gooseberries at first, and only then a little limestone and a blend of aniseed, fennel, and beeswax, although it wouldn’t be as waxy as others. With water: the wax comes out. Paraffin, candle wax, whiffs of wet wool… It needed water to become more Clynelishy. Mouth (neat): indeed it is not one of the waxier Clynelishes, but it’s got a lot of citrus, coated with some shortbread crumbles, citron liqueur and a wee phenolic side that’s only marginally smoky. Some pepper too. With water: once again, water brings out wax and minerals. Finish: medium, with a touch of ginger, couscous spices, and custard. A little grassy smoke in the aftertaste. Comments: not a wham-bam-here-I-am Clynelish. A little ‘gentle’, but of course very good. 54.6% Alc./Vol. 86 points - Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com