Signatory Clynelish 30 Year Symingtons

Tasting Notes

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: waxy, sherried, and chocolatey, with a farm-y maltiness; white orchard fruits, citrus jujubes, and cream cheese icing with lemon zest on carrot cake; honeycomb, beeswax candles, and parchment paper; subtle sherry, hints of dark fruit, leather, and spices.

Palate: big, rich, and coating with dark fruits and decadent spices; waxier than expected with persistent honey undertones; more carrot cake (with diced pineapple now) with lemon zested cream cheese icing; browning apple, poached pear, and medjool dates; cocoa nibs, soft new leather, and espresso beans; firm and warming oak spice: cinnamon, fennel, and anise; creamed honey and honeycomb.

Finish: long, warming, and spicy with a waxy honeyed backbone; Aussie liquorice and honeycomb.

Comment: Clynelish's trademark honeyed-waxy profile merges beautifully with sherry here; it doesn't quite go tropical, but there are lots of citrus and white orchard fruits to be found, as well as the dried dark fruits you'd expect from a sherry cask; it's good that this was a Refill Butt, a first fill cask would have run roughshod over the distillate.

Independent Bottler

Signatory Vintage was established in 1988 by Andrew Symington. The quality of whiskies released by most Independent Bottlers can vary a lot, and be rather hit or miss. Signatory Vintage is an exception to this, and we have consistently been impressed by the quality of its offerings. Accordingly Signatory Vintage has been a staple in our shop for more than a decade.

One of the reasons for Signatory's consistently high level of quality is that it doesn't bottle casks in the hand-to-mouth fashion, of many other independent bottlers. But rather it purchases parcels of casks, storing them in their own warehouses, while patiently waiting for the whiskies to mature.

Originally located in Edinburgh, the business was moved to Pitlochry in 2002, after Symington purchased the Edradour Distillery from Pernod Ricard. Edradour is tucked into the hills above the scenic Highland town of Pitlochry. This farm distillery has a charming, rustic, and understated esthetic, which was maintained by Symington when building a new bottling facility and warehousing.

The distillery bottles single cask and small batch bottlings of both single malts and single grains. Its ranges include the Un-Chill Filtered and Cask Strength Collections. In 1988 the firm celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a range of specially chosen, exceptionally rare single casks.