31/07/2026 Clynelish

26.47 22yo 1984/2006 Honey complex (57.6%, SMWS Society Cask): nose: pickle in brine! It also has mown hay, crystallised green grapes and encaustic, leading to the trademark wax, though it is not overly pronounced, at this stage. Shaking the glass propels darker tones to the surface, such as Kalamata olives and anchovies in garlicky oil. It then moves back to wax of sorts, this time a rustic armchair so covered in patina it looks darker than teak. A drop of wine appears in the long run, as if poured on plastic green grapes and crystals of one kind or another. Tilting the glass, it feels stupidly cliché to even write it, presents a wax-coated cat, gently musky. The second nose sees Virginia tobacco join the hay, and there may well be unripe pineapple and pomelo in the back. Mouth: plums, waxy nectarines and a dash of pressed lemon rub elbows with plastic green grapes. It has a fruity rubbery bitterness like that -- more squeaky plastic than rubber, actually. The lemon-y acidity grows to becomes fairly intense. Chewing adds a dollop of melted chocolate ice cream morphing into pistachio ice cream. Always a winning combination. This Belgian will never willingly write “Dubai chocolate,” by the way. That wrestles with a re-emerging taste of plastic green grape, and it ends in a puddle of furniture wax, liquid, acrid and coating. The second sip is fruitier and bitterer, as if we just bit into a wedge of unripe citrus (pomelo, bergamot, satsuma). Sweeter upon chewing, it becomes juicy and acidic, and pushes citrus-y mint crumbles or spearmint and pepper. It is not peppermint, but it is rather strong. Finish: chocolate is the first to talk, soon joined by wax. It feels milky and unctuous, very coating, of course, and long. Somehow, the mouth is left with a feeling close to that procured by a generous gulp of warm cola. Little-to-no grape here, though the finish retains notions of plastic, a tiny bitterness that may be associated with a waxed piece of furniture or citrus rinds. Unless it is a plastic cup coated with paraffin. The second gulp feels sweeter; we find mint crumbles again, lozenges and chalky citrus-flavoured tablets. Yes, it does become a tad chalky and drying, though not desiccating. This is not Aspirin, but there is enough to chew on. Lovely Clynelish. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, PS)