Artful Dodger Whisky Collective is a new label from London-based wine & spirits merchant Woolf Sung Ltd, launched in 2018. They see themselves as a collective of ‘whisky thieves’ dedicated to liberating the world’s rarest casks.
Their first batch includes Strathclyde 27yo, Glenturret 23yo, Port Charlotte 8yo and this Clynelish 20 years old, distilled in 1997. It is bottled in a nice 50 cl apothecary-style bottle with cork stopper.
Clynelish 20 yo 1997
(55,9%, Artful Dodger 2018, bourbon hogshead #6526, 50 cl)
Clynelish 20 yo 1997Nose: classic Clynelish profile, with a lovely warm waxiness. That’s all we need really. Candle wax, furniture polish. Lemon juice and greengages, a little chalk. Faint whiffs of peaches. White guimauves. Not too austere, very fresh, rather perfect.
Mouth: slightly sharper now, on zesty citrus, ginger, grapefruit, just a few fruit gums and shortbread. Always this wonderful mineral, waxy side. Growing minty notes towards the end, with herbal drops and a hint of green tea.
Finish: long, on lemon (skin), aniseed, light grassy notes and a salty touch.
Excellent Clynelish. Sharpness, roundness, waxiness, zesty fruits, all present. A few available from Master of Malt.
Score: 90/100