Clynelish 14 Year Old 2004 Samaroli

Are you ready for a legendary bottling? A future classic? Samaroli is already legendary, of course, but the 340 bottles of this special release ‘from Silvano’s collection’ which appeared two years ago are long gone by now. On the secondhand market (read: auction) this is sold for big money. Silvano Sigfirdo Samarli, born in 1939, passed away in 2017 but his widow Maryse Accorsi continues the tradition of bottling single casks at cask strength. That is why the label proudly states ‘under the personal supervision of Maryse Accorsi’.

The nose is beautifully waxy and shows lots of fruitiness in the guise of apples, pears, pineapple and peach, but also oat meal and milk chocolate. Something floral and honey kick in. Yuzu? Almond shavings? It is a bit elusive on the nose in all honesty. If you add a bit of water, you suddenly get lots of citrus fruit, but also something that reminds me of aspirin.

On the palate it is quite waxy as well with a big bitterness of quinine, tannins and grape piths. White pepper makes it a touch piquant, while melon joins the white fruit from the nose. This is all wonderfully balanced. But I must confess that it does not really rock my boat. With water it becomes softer (doh!), but also more creamy. The palate turns a bit candylike on pineapple cubes.

The finish is impressive, I must admit. Very long, fruity, warming and satisfying. And with some added water it becomes even more waxy, as if I have some candle wax in my mouth.

I fear i may have spoken too soon. This is a good Clynelish, surely, but not an absolute stunner as I am used to from the period 1995-1996. Still very good and even a tad better with a bit of water.

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