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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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December 30, 2022 |
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Thirty Clynelish
from 2011 to 1971
(Because there is no limit to true love) |
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| (Bodeboca) |
Before the end of the year, as promised.
Indeed we've got a lot of Clynelish on the table, which comes handy to further celebrate WF's 20th Anniversary right before the end of the year. I had first thought we'd do a verticale, but we've got too many of them for that. Same with a retro-verticale, which, what's more, is much trickier to do by nature, even if a retro-verticale would also better showcase the fascinating evolution of the distillate over the years and decades. But well, I would say we'll do this randomly, because after all, some say you and I are well-acquainted enough with the make. Nota bene: because of some busy schedule (and some last traces of reason and sanity at WF Towers), all these Clynelishes won't be actually assessed within one single tasting session. Let us proceed, and adios 2022! (Tomorrow it's Angus who's on duty)… |
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Clynelish 11 yo 2011/2022 (58.7%, The Whisky Show 2022) 
This lovely baby came with an UV-sensitive label (it's that, right?) and a QR-code. All what's missing is some NFT and perhaps own crypto. Next year, perhaps? Colour: straw. Nose: I've noticed that my thirst for Clynelish never stopped growing, and it seems that this little beauty won't do anything about that. There are bonbons all over the place, it's almost like the rear seats of a car after a 10 hour drive with three little kids. Main flavours, orange, pineapple and pear. There's probably a little nail polish too, but the wax is not coming through yet. With water: it does now. Aren't the simplest pleasures the best? And the kids did not gulp down all the sweets (yet). Mouth (neat): those sweet bonbons indeed, these touches of varnish and bitterish fresh oak as well, but this time the waxiness is present right from the start. With water: perfect now, with peach sweets and syrup chiming in. A Scottish Bellini? Finish: medium and well balanced, between the sweet and the oak. A little feeling of green tea flavoured with fruit. Comments: Clynelish is one of those distillates that can be rather stunning at a very young age, even when al natural.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Clynelish 12 yo 'The Golden Eye Guardian' (58.5%, OB, Special Releases, Elusive Expressions, 2022) 
The cask-bill here gathered refill American oak, PX and oloroso. Hope this gumbo won't have offset the Distillery character, but probably not, Diageo do care about Clynelish! What's sure is that it was a good idea to hire Syd Barrett's little nephew to do the names and stories… Colour: straw. Nose: it's pretty fascinating to have this one after the more elementary (in the best sense) TWS. Nutshell, the sherry has erased a part of the bright fruitiness and added some wine, walnuts and teas. English breakfast tea, naturally. With water: a little more fruitiness but walnut skins and other fruit peelings, and even eucalyptus tea tend to dominate. But the paraffin and beeswax are there, hurray. Mouth (neat): the fruits and rather a lot of paraffin are having the upper hand this time. Once more, a little bitter oak coating that, even chlorophyl. With water: very good, if a little cask-heavy indeed. A notch harsh, perhaps, otherwise oranges and a little honey are adding some needed lightness, although this isn't fruity whisky by any means. Finish: rather long, but the oaks and their spices are at the helm. Some raisins from the PX (I would suppose) in the aftertaste, plus a faint saltiness. Comments: super-good, it's just that I shouldn't have had the rather pristine young 2011 just before this one. My bad.
SGP:561 - 84 points. |
Perhaps an older 12, for fun and comparison?... |
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Clynelish 12 yo (57%, Gordon & MacPhail, distillery label, 75cl, +/-1983) 
In theory, this is stemming from the earliest vintages of the 'new' Distillery. In Ainslie's label book at Diageo's Archive this very same label is marked as from June, 1983. We've tried several bottles already, but perhaps not exactly this batch. I know, any excuses… Colour: gold. Nose: you would almost believe they've added some 'old' Clynelish to this, for it is so sooty and petroly. The waxiness is insane too, the old greases, also the ripe garden fruits (apples), the rocks, the spearmint, the flints, the metal polish… Boy I may be wrecking this session. I mean, completely. With water: a little mead, old white wines, toolbox and old copper coins, more metal polis… You see. Mouth (neat): God's own malt. It's got everything, including some old Clynelish, I'm almost sure about that. We'd better sing you a song now… But not before we've mentioned beeswax, engine oil (a feeling of…), benzine (something reminiscent of…) and just chewing candles. When we were kids… With water: I had forgotten how good these were/are. Some seawater now, oysters, sorrel soup, soot, ashes… Finish: endless, stunningly salty and honeyed. You could use this as some condiment, perhaps with caviar or lobster? Love the mustardy aftertaste too. Comments: I remember one evening in Limburg. There was a lovely dinner but no proper wine. We downed a bottle of this instead, and as for going back to our hotel, well… Why am I telling you this? What's sure is that these Clynelishes do make for great substitutes for white wine. Believe me.
SGP:662 - 93 points. |
This could really get tough, but there's a bunch I've already wet my lips in, so pretty confidently… |
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Clynelish 25 yo 1995/2021 (54.5%, WhiskySponge, refill sherry butt, 505 bottles)
Colour: light gold. Nose: this is much, and I mean much waxier than many more later vintages, and it's really all on beeswax, pencil eraser, drawing gum, fresh walnut skins, and indeed almond paste, with only touches of tangerines in the background. Feels almost more '1982-1983' than '1995-1996', says this humble exegete. Oh an in truth, you could almost quote '1972-1974' as well (not the smokier ones). With water: chalk, paraffin, wet plaster, metal polish. 110% Clynelish. Mouth: orange and tangerine juices blended with liquid beeswax and honey. Some aspects would also remind us of 1960s Lochside, honest. With water: brilliant Finish: medium, fresh, superbly honeyed. Comments: I've tried to keep this short since we have several Spongey Clynelishes on the desk. Otherwise I would have, oh, hum, waxed lyrical.
SGP:551 - 91 points. |
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Clynelish 25 yo 1995/2021 (56.6%, WhiskySponge, refill sherry butt, 528 bottles) 
Colour: amber. Nose: Clynelish + sherry can, in my experience, generate dissonances, including feelings of sulphur while there's not obligatorily any sulphur inside. That's exactly what I'm finding here. Pass, this time… With water: glutamate at the power of seven. Make that eight. A lot of earth too, saltpetre in abundance, etc. Mouth (neat): rather a little nicer on the plate, thanks to bitter oranges and tobacco, but there's really a lot of pepper and some walnut wine in excess. With water: cold cuts and leather, smoked sausage, bitter oranges, old 'sour' wax indeed. Finish: rather long, on peppered oranges. Comments: Cadenhead used to have such 'deviant' batches too. It's terrible to come onto the tasting desk after that splendid, all-bright '505 bottles', but let's be honest, I know this style has got its utter fans so as always, that's just me. And don't get me wrong, it's still great whisky,
SGP:462 - 82 points. |
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Clynelish 26 yo 1995/2021 (57.7%, WhiskySponge, refill sherry butt, 532 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: somewhere between both but nearer the 'clean' one. Love these whiffs of greasy fat Chablis (Grenouille) and Sancerre. Superb (didn't we say we'd do this quickly?) With water: bouillons and broths, marrows, chives, onion soup, grapefruit liqueur, earths and mushrooms… Mouth (neat): tops, mineral, waxy, resinous, citrusy, huge. Love it. With water: perfection, please call the Anti-ClynoPorn Brigade! Finish: rather long, waxier, and with more flavourful honeys and citruses. Stunning chalk, wax and lemon in the aftertaste, a well-known winning combo. Comments: aren't these vintages coming of age? Oh and by the way, I don't think I've ever found any notes of sponge in any whisky. Or perhaps 'old sponge', as in 'old floor cloth', but those are not enviable descriptors, are they. Anyway, superb Clynelish, state of the art and really hard to beat here and now. I mean, generally speaking.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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Clynelish 25 yo 1995/2021 'Cuvée' (53%, WhiskySponge, Third Secret Edition, 131 bottles)
Right, it seems that, maybe because he was feeling guilty with regard to the 'sulphury sherry', the Sponge decided to vat a wee part of all three casks to produce a little 'Cuvée' that, I suppose, would have gathered all what's great in the individual casks while offsetting what's a little, say 'deviant'. Right, sulphury. Having said that, I wouldn't impute motives one way or another, that's all my own humble theory… Colour: gold. Nose: hem, not 100% sure. Meat extracts, soy sauce, plasticine, beef fat, Cuban cigars… The honeyed fruits aren't having the upper hand this far, that's for sure. With water: Marmite? A little basalt too… Mouth (neat): not too sure. I'll ask the Sponge about the proportions, let's hope he'll give us the answers. I don't think the vatting was done in equal shares, but naturally, I could be totally wrong. With water: no, better now. Classic, cleaner wax and honeys coming through, mead, some savoury old pinot noir perhaps… It came to its senses and so have I. Finish: medium, still a tad wobbly here and there, but this saltiness wins it. Comments: fun stuff that would, at times, remind us of some sherried 'Old Clynelishes' or of some of Ainslie's darker blends. But it remains a complicated whisky, somewhat, somehow…
SGP:552 - 86 points. |
Good, that Spongey quartet gave us a true run for our money, but we're not completely done with Clynelish, far from that… |
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| 'New' Clynelish's original architect plan, 1966, R.P. Morris (Diageo Archive) |
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Clynelish 25 yo 1995/2021 (53%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist #11, cask #11235, 580 bottles) 
I would imagine, according to the colour, that this one's from the same parcel as that of that 'Sponge' that was a little bit on hung grouse, fungus and struck matches, let's see... Colour: mahogany. Nose: coffee, crude chocolate, tar, old oloroso, proper walnut wine, miso and umami, old Partagas, oyster sauce… Well this is a true sherry monster of the highest order and this far, almost any distillate would have partnered with this cask beautifully. There are echoes of 'old Craigellachie', for example, just saying. With water: possibly one of the loveliest ex-heavy-sherry Clynelishes out there. Earth, polish, tar, mushrooms, plasticine… Mouth (neat): yeah, heavy high-grade orangey sherry, this would work even with mineral water. Quite. Okay, I'm exaggerating. With water: excellent, these are just hard to water down with precision. Just one or two drops will suffice. Bovril, brown sauce, ceps, miso, mead… Nah, one drop will be enough. Finish: long, meaty, fat, very sherry-y. Comments: extremely good, it's just that once again, I shouldn't have had the two utter stars by the Sponge within the very same tasting session. Always the same problems as soon as a distillate has got a little character (Springbank, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Ben Nevis, and many others, including Clynelish…) Well, that's what I think.
SGP:462 - 88 points |
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Clynelish 10 yo 2011/2021 (59.1%, The Whisky Exchange, barrel, cask #800293, 205 bottles)
In my short experience these recent very young Clynelishes may rely a little more on fresh orchard fruits, and less on that traditional waxiness, which could make them rather less recognizable, let's see… (come on, we're not tasting blind anyway)… Colour: straw. Nose: it is not a very waxy one indeed, as it appears, we're rather reminded of dough, breads, apple pies, grist, or cider, although I do find touches of paraffin, but that may be my mind trying to find what it knows should be there. Any taster's worst enemy. With water: some waxy bread indeed, sunflower oil, quince jelly… Mouth (neat): a little icing sugar and orange blossom honey, then reaching panettone and pear tart, citron liqueur, and yes, perhaps, there, a little candlewax with a wee soapy side. Or are those just fresh almonds? Not too sure… With water: more bitter grasses and zests, grapefruit skin, a little bell pepper, sloe, juniper… What's sure is that it is not a wax monster. Not that we always need them anyway… Finish: long and, guess what, much more on paraffin, candlewax, and proper argan oil… ! All things come to him who waits. Comments: a very lovely young Clynelish that takes its (and your) time.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
Back to old ones… (this session is a merry chaos, I tell you)… |
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Clynelish 30 yo 1990/2022 (47.7%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist #12, bourbon barrel, cask #3477, 137 bottles)
More barrels, more greatness I would suppose. It's to be noted that the age here is rather 'over 30 years', some charming cocketry on the part of LMDW. Colour: light gold. Nose: these early 1990s, as they become older, start to resemble the early 1972s, which is great news of course. We're thinking old pinot gris from a great house, beeswax 'of course', cakes, dried flowers, a lighter tarte tatin, our beloved stewed quinces, sweet polenta, French toast… And in the back, some sea breeze that's the guardian of the freshness here (pardon?) Mouth: someone's mistakenly bottled a 1972, it's obvious. But shh… More beeswax and pollen, dried figs, tangerines, orange blossom water, papayas, acacia beignet, touches of salted butter caramel… Finish: not too long but charmingly delicate. Perhaps an old white Graves, perhaps even Laville, our friend Christophe's favourite white (but they stopped producing Laville in 2009). Comments: extraordinary, if elegantly fragile here and there. Do they also do magnums?
SGP:551 - 92 points. |
Break! But we'll be back with more young Clynelish… |
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Clynelish 9 yo 2011/2021 (56.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, second-fill barrel, #26.117, Gathering, Butterscotch-pear pie In a lemon orchard, 215 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: this one's really raw and eau-de-vie-ish, we're almost nosing plum spirit as it's running off the still, with just touches of vanilla and ripe bananas from the barrel (I would suppose). With water: sourdough and some sour juices coming out. Lemon indeed and greener apples. Mouth (neat): really, it's almost new-make, complete with a little soap and lemon skin. With water: the powerz of Clynelish working their magic, but this is still a little too rough and immature for me. Finish: medium, green, lemony. The aftertaste is really rather sour. Comments: it's Clynelish, but these are perhaps the limits of the exercise. Youth is great… up to a certain point.
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
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Secret Highland 16 yo 2004/2021 (59.9%, The Maltman, Or Sileis, 1st fill Marsala hogshead, cask #73, 403 bottles)
More crazy whisky selected by our Taiwanese friends. Colour: deep gold. Nose: a Marsala that would behave and indeed these waxes and oils, this time with a few aromatic herbs and flowers, some dried. Patchouli, orange blossom, honeysuckle, or just a pot-pourri. Is that all the Marsala? Wee touches of sweet mustard too, which would suggest a 'Madeira-Marsala' (with apologies to our friends both in Portugal and in Italy). With water: mushrooms, moss, mustard, wild carrots, celeriac, beets… Probably all from the cask. Mouth (neat): this is oily, tight, with some walnuts and lemons, woodruff, a little horseradish, and one question: was this a fino-type dry Marsala? With water: same, mustardy, a little salty, and pretty fino-y indeed. Finish: long and more on roots. Salty carrot juice and coffee in the aftertaste. Comments: I then to like the naked ones tiny-wee-tad better but this is extremely close, for once. I have to say I was having doubts but it's been confirmed that this was truly Clynelish.
SGP:461 - 88 points. |
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Highland Single Malt 11 yo 2010/2021 (54.1%, Thompson Bros. for Rum & Whisky Kyoto, hogshead + rum, 295 bottles)
By internal rule, we're only posting such secret Highland malt amongst Clynelishes when we're dead sure that they're Clynelish. This baby's be re-racked into a rum cask from Diamond Distillery in Guyana (marque was sxg, so probably from the Versailles still). Colour: white wine. Nose: so, si or no? War or peace? I'm happy to report that the Clynelish and the Demerara seem to get along extremely well, but it's true that they're sharing some traits in the first place. So more a gathering of like-minded spirits than whacky aromatisation with rum. A little engine oil and the expected waxes, more brine than in 'pure' Clynelish, candied citrus, perhaps that famous olive everyone's talking about… With water: almost pure Clynelish now. Majority wins. Mouth (neat): really punchy, perhaps a little more disorienting than on the nose because of these sweeter caney notes, but there's also some heather honey, which is perfect. It's as if the second maturation added much maturity, and more salt as well. With water: indeed. It rather feels like, say 17 years. Finish: rather long, salty, sooty, with even, wait, echoes of Old Clynelish! How bizarre… Comments: much more Champagne with peaches than coffee with mustard, if you see what I mean. Brilliant young drop, should they all treat their (young) whiskies like this one, I would become the #1 fan of finishing!
SGP:562 - 89 points. |
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Clynelish 23 yo 1997/2021 (53.3%, The Whisky Cask Company, bourbon, 209 bottles)
These vintages have an excellent reputation. There must be a reason. Colour: light gold. Nose: much love for this. It's a slightly shier one, but it's showing elegance and distinction, with some fresh bark, sunflower oil, those softer waxes, candles, plaster and chalk, apples, then mirabelles and quinces… With water: a delicate earthiness and even a few ashes, perhaps coal. A little fresh coriander, and always these waxes. A nose to marry (why would you marry only a nose, S.?) Mouth (neat): ueber-class Clynelish, everything being exactly right here. Citrus, apple peel, beeswax and honeycomb, acacia blossom, quince, not-too-ripe mirabelles, plus just a faint saltiness, nothing dominant. Shh, much respect… With water: more towards citrus, which is brilliant. I was about to mention kumquats but my Dutch friends seem to be firmly against that. So, say yuzu and bergamot. Finish: the chalk is back, with some lemon and a little cold earl grey tea. Wax in the aftertaste, as is customary. Comments: I think I'll add nothing. De nada.
SGP:551 - 91 points. |
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Clynelish 18 yo 1997 (55.5%, Adelphi Archive, 20 years of Whiskyfun, cask #12378, 145 bottles, released 2022)
It's not that I'm into onanistic tasting (?!) but indeed, I had to write some note for this baby that, let's make this clear, I did not select myself. However, the good folks at Adelphi are smarter than Einstein himself and knew that this would be 'my' thing. Thank you, Adelphi! I'd add that I already tried it, in… lovely Warsaw. What's more, the bottle came with a magnifier, a response to my constant jibe because they were doing such small labels that I just couldn't read, even when I was still less than 40 (so very recently… I can hear you thinking!) Colour: straw/pale gold. Nose: it's fascinating to try this one after the 1996, for they are so close. Same elegant citrus, wax, chalk, oils and yellow garden fruits. I'm not even sure I should say more. With water: fresh baguette, sourdough bread, a little porridge, chalk, flints… Mouth (neat): epitomically Clynelish, fully on the make, perfectly citrusy and waxy, with a fantastic greenness that would remind us of the best sauvignons blancs. With some chalk of course, there. With water: candied citrus and coriander, plus some white pepper. Finish: some saltiness, lemon, a little bitter marmalade. Comments: we could have done some minimalistic tasting note instead. Like, Clynelish 18 yo 1997 (55.5%, Adelphi Archive, 20 years of Whiskyfun, cask #12378, 145 bottles, released 2022) Colour: straw. Nose: mid-1990s Clynelish. Mouth: mid-1990s Clynelish. Finish: mid-1990s Clynelish. Comments: mid-1990s Clynelish.
SGP:551 - 91 points. |
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Clynelish 24 yo 1996/2021 (52.2%, Hunter Laing, The First Editions for HNWS Taiwan, hogshead, cask #18250, 258 bottles)
With cats playing pool. That's what cats do, right? Colour: white wine. Nose: we'll never get out of here. What I could say, and perhaps that was the hogshead, is that it is a Clynelish that's got some Ben Nevis traits. Such as this concrete and these garage-y touches, spent oil, old toolbox and all that. Other than that, it is perfect. Don't get me wrong, the Ben-Nevissy side was perfect too (S., is this about Clynelish or about Ben Nevis?) With water: these crystalline apples and quinces that we love so much. Mouth (neat): pure, crystal-clean waxy and citrusy Clynelish, a tad fatter than the two previous ones, but just as splendid. Perhaps a touch of mustard ala Ben Nevis (perhaps not, S.!) With water: it's glorious, perfect, a Miura of malt whisky. Finish: hey hey, some smoke? Was that the Ben Nevis? (S., please…) Firmer aftertaste, peppery, salty and hugely waxy. Comments: what can I say.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
To the dedicated taster, this is a happy nightmare, at least a trap. Too many quasi-identical whiskies! Whether the ones you've got on your table are sublime or plain rotguts, this kind of situation is never easy to handle. But back at Hunter Laing's… |
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Clynelish 27 yo 1993/2021 (53.8%, Hunter Laing, The First Editions Author's Series, bourbon barrel, cask #HL 18443)
The gentleman on the label is Edward Everett Hale, an American clergyman and writer (1822-1909). Not too sure Mr. Hale has ever had anything to do with whisky, but I love this slightly circumvolutory quote, 'I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.' Such as trying more Clynelish… Colour: gold. Nose: it's incredible how the older age feels, even if that's only three years. Cakes appearing, jams, candied fruits, even 'bourbon raisins', mead, old cognac (we've just tried a good dozen the other day), cigarette tobacco (Camels, even if I believe I smoked my last Camel around thirty years ago), patchouli, lime tea… But what a glory, what a glory… With water: this is terrifying, we re-created a 1972, as we did with a 1990 only yesterday. Mouth (neat): it swapped its crystal-clean waxy and citrusy freshness for more spicy cakes and pastries, stollen, also moshi, banana cake, honey cookies… Now the level remains ueber-high. With water: nah, it's just incredible too, with more cough medicine, syrups and herbal teas this time. Finish: do we really need to tell you that waxes and citrons are coming to the front? Stunning finish. Comments: just as amazing as the other ones. Of course you could say that the 1990s were when most Distilleries started to make good malt whisky again, but in my book, Clynelish never quite lost any steam. Perhaps in the end of the 1970s, and sometime around the mid/late 1980s? I'm not even sure about that… anyway…
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
Perhaps an easier, lighter one? |
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Clynelish 18 yo 1997/2015 (46%, Chieftain's Choice, bourbon hogshead, casks #6580/6581, 544 bottles)
Long time not seen any Chieftain's, are they still kicking around? Used to love some of their bottlings in the past. Colour: straw. Nose: indeed it is an easier one, one that's rather rounder, with some vanilla and orange cakes, madeleines, some pollen, a little milk chocolate, even a little sweeter ale… It is not an intransigent Clynelish that would bite you, that's for sure. Mouth: the vintage talks and so does the Distillery. Some beeswax indeed, some praline, those cakes, a little lime tea, a wee saltiness indeed, and more chocolate. Very good and a proper Clynelish 1997, even if I think I should have had it upfront, given the lower strength. Finish: good length. Some spices from the oak that, it seems, has been rather active. Some bitter walnuts in the aftertaste. Comments: perhaps not a star but very good and not that easy, after all.
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
I think I need a younger, fresher one again at this point… |
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Clynelish 10 yo 2011/2022 (59.5%, Watt Whisky, barrel, 210 bottles)
I'm a little surprised they would be allowed to bottle some Clynelish in Campbeltown, but there, not my business. Come on, isn't that like bringing your own French langoustines to a Scottish seafood restaurant? Perhaps not… Colour: light gold. Nose: not one that's fully on orchard fruits, this has seawater, soot, brine, stearin, granny smith and lime juice… Almost cask-strength cachaça on the nose! With water: or mezcal? Gentian? Celeriac eau-de-vie? Crazy sour cherries? Now some honeyed vanilla is bringing a little gentleness after just one minute. Mouth (neat): as perfect as a 10 yo Clynelish can be. A real blade this time, the first one we're encountering in this two-part session, that would mercilessly throw smoked green apples and just salted limes at you. With water: cuts you like a laser. Little salvation on the palate. Finish: no, there, some sweetness, honey, beeswax, candied lemon… Comments: tops. Possibly my favourite 2011 this far, but don't take this on faith, I haven't checked our index. Oh who cares, it is just great.
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
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Clynelish 26 yo 1995/2022 (56.2%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams, sherry butt)
Whenever I read 'Clynelish' and 'sherry' on a label, some lights are starting to flash in my head, but there were many exceptions. It's just that I believe that it's hard to get the balance right (as Frank Zappa used to say). Colour: gold. Nose: it is certain that the freshness was toned down, but it is just as certain that some lovely chocolate and tobacco are making up for that. A wee feeling of armagnac, perhaps, some raisins, surely a few pencil shavings, a Mars bar, millionaire shortbread… So, some Clynelishness has been lost but balance has been kept. With water: classic walnut wine and cigars. Mouth (neat): hold on hold on hold on hold on, this works! We're far from just chocolate and tobacco, it is got a chicken-soup quality, even some venison, chocolate sauce (mole), hoisin and miso, something slightly metallic and salty, but no actual dissonances. Hurray. With water: that's the thing, with these profiles you need to have the proportions of water right or you could flatten your whisky and make it too dry. Hard work but I think I succeeded, with just two drops. Finish: long, very chocolaty. Oloroso-y aftertaste. Comments: I prefer them shiny and bright, but indeed this is very excellent. Well done Nectar.
SGP:461 - 89 points. |
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Clynelish 25 yo 1995/2021 (53.5%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams, 15th anniversary, refill sherry butt, cask #11238, 501 bottles)
Stuff from Signatory Vintage, they say good springs make good water. Colour: mahogany. Nose: deeper into toffeeish sherriness. More Mars bars, Carambar (do you know Carambar?), moshi and Japanese red bean curd, fresh-polished hardwood, toffee, then indeed a little hoisin sauce… No doubt quality is extremely high, but I doubt anyone would recognise Clynelish. I know I wouldn't. With water: ah, beeswax? Metal polish? Old pipe tobacco? A little sea air for sure, that's good news. Otherwise armagnac and toffee. Mouth (neat): some walnut stain, soy sauce, chocolate, blackish toffee, stock cube, a little carboard and a little sulphur… That last part would suggest it desperately needs H2O. With water: water will kill it if you're not careful. Say just one drop. Pine needles and really a feeling of super-dry oloroso that would have dropped below those 18% vol. Or amontillado. Finish: very long, piney. Coffee and chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: very tough dry sherry bomb. It is a difficult style that I enjoy a lot, but between us, this could have been any other malt Distillery, even Auchentoshan. I liked 2022's better, for it was more Clynelishy. 2019's 1995 had been superb too (WF 90).
SGP:471 - 87 points. |
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An old receiver full of that 'black gunge' that's said to be responsible
for Clynelish's trademark waxiness (WF Archive) |
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Clynelish 27 yo 1993/2021 (51.4%, Hunter Laing, The First Editions CMC for Malt Cask Hong Kong & Dadi Liquor, bourbon barrel, cask #HL 18455, 130 bottles)
This one has travelled from afar! In theory, this should be another bed of roses, quality-wise… Colour: gold. Nose: something of an old chardonnay at first, with a little sour wood, then rather triple-sec, tangerine liqueur, and rather mead than beeswax this far. Whiffs of brand new sweater (pure wool). With water: it's even a tad diesely at first, but then, paraffin and linseed oil are running the show. The wool is still there too. Tiny touches of fermented oranges or something like that. Mouth (neat): a wonderful citrusy arrival, this time fully and properly Clynelish, with just the right amounts of waxes. The barrel feels a little bit but the lemons do counterbalance all that. How many times have we used the words 'lovely' and 'awesome' these days? With water: no complains at all. Perfect saltier Clynelish. Finish: medium, totally Clynelishy, with more beeswax than in a 15th century church and more citrus skin than in… oh forget. Comments: right up my alley once more. It's going to be 91 because it is more than perfect. There.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
And good news, there's more… |
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Clynelish 27 yo 1993/2021 (52.5%, Hunter Laing, Old & Rare, Platinum Selection, for The Whisky Library Hong Kong, refill barrel, cask #140 bottles)
No cask number that we can spot but we know it was bottled in August. Err… Colour: gold. Nose: this one's a little different at first, probably fresher, more on 'that walk in the woods', humus, then camphor, ointments, crushed fern leaves, also sea air… With water: awe! It's high-precision, rather restrained but just stunning Clynelish on the nose. 25-30 years is a perfect age. Mouth (neat): formidable! It's got both the freshness from the land and from the sea, and the paraffiny, lemony waxiness. I can't wait to add two drops of Vittel (our official water, Vitell, yeah I know the cheque's in the mail, you already told me last time). With water: all the expected compadres are coming out one after the other, wax, lemon, pepper, sourdough, chalk, angelica, pollen… Only the oak is a wee tad too present this time, I would say, making it 'only perfect' in my book. Nit-pickers of all nations, unite! Finish: same developments. Lovely citrus, maybe just a tad more on skin than on flesh. Reminds me of… oh forget (JM, get out of this body!) Lovely honey and beeswax in the aftertaste, it's definitely 'perfect'. Comments: nobody will believe me if I say, once again, that these sessions are difficult to do because the whiskies are so close. Spoiled, we are.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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Clynelish 26 yo 1995/2022 (51.5%, The Whisky Exchange, 50 years in the drinks industry, hogshead and sherry butt)
This baby to celebrate Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh's (plus family) 50 years in the business. This is bizarre, last time I met them, not that long ago, they were looking much, much, and I mean much younger. What's sure is that they know their Clynelish. Colour: light gold. Nose: it starts a bit like the Platinum, that is to say very fresh, zesty, a little tight, lemony and not quite unlike some Rosebanks of old. I utterly love this chiselled style, let's hope it'll all go on like this. With water: a little sake (believe it or not, that's the sherry), otherwise an extremely coastal Clynelish. Oysters, lemon, a little tobacco. Tobacco is an useful descriptor, you just write 'tobacco' and presto, two dozen sub-aromas are heading your direction. Mouth (neat): the sherry brought just a tiny colouring, I would say, perhaps a bit of walnut cookie and a little coffee/chocolate. Other than that, it's perfect well-defined and well-carved Clynelish. Awesome lemony saltines (or, you're right, the other way 'round). With water: the dry sherry gets louder. More tobacco, chicken soup, a little clove, walnuts… I would suggest you just don't add any water. Finish (when neat): pure citrusy and moderately waxy Clynelish. Salty and peppery aftertaste, with some dark chocolate in the back. Comments: what a mercy it is that the sherry behaved! Happy 50 years in the business, Messrs Singh and family!
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
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Clynelish 31 yo 1990/2022 (42.6%, Signatory Vintage, Cask Strength Collection, bourbon barrels, casks #3689 – 3690, 197 bottles)
Looks like the angels have been greedy here. We're also out of the comfort zone at 31 years, but let's see… Colour: light gold. Nose: age indeed, evolution, softening… It is, in truth, a little worrying at first, but many smaller, tertiary aromas are starting to appear, mead, encaustic, pine needles, old wardrobe, syrups and cordials from the 1970s, then we have apple pie, that famous tarte tatin, quinces, lamp oil, balms and polishes… Well it'll all happen on the palate anyway. Or not… Mouth: frightening for a second (tea, cardboard) but everything's falling into place then, mead, waxes, overripe apples… But it's lost the citrus over the years and becomes a tad fragile again around the middle. Just a tad. Finish: not very long, rather on apple peel and old honeyed cordials. Stuff that monks used to make to convince non-believers. Right. Some rhubarb in the aftertaste, which is perfect as it lifts it like when Tom Cruise almost hit the mountain with his plane. Right, that's the only comparison I could come up with, but it works with James Bond too. Comments: simply another fantastic one.
SGP:551 - 89 points. |
Good, there's another vintage that I always loved, that's 1983. |
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Clynelish 16 yo 1983/2000 (57.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #26.14)
Not a very well-known bottling and it didn't even come with one of those silly names we love to make jokes about. Well, we just love those names, in fact. Colour: white wine. Nose: exactly a blade. As we sometimes say, it cuts you into two halves of exactly the same dimensions. Lime, chalk, mercurochrome, rhubarb and basta. With water: porridge and damp oatcakes. Grapefruits and a tiny bit of passion fruit. Mouth (neat): ziiiing! Well in the style of these youngish naked malts by the SMWS from that time, the Broras for example. Pure, crystalline, high-definition wax and lemon. Incredibly sharp, in all senses. With water: keeps sending shivers down your spine, but this lemon marmalade is of the highest possible grade. Finish: long, immaculate, amazing. Salty aftertaste. Comments: who would have known? Probably Angus… A.m.a.z.i.n.g.
SGP:562 - 92 points. |
And now to be consistent… |
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Clynelish 23 yo 1983/2007 (57.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #26.50, 'Heather, hay and honey', refill hogshead)
No picture for this one. Bah they all look the same anyway, don't they. I've put a fantastic Scottish Wildcat found at The Guardian instead, I don't think that's a bad deal, is it. Colour: light gold. Nose: winner, provided you enjoy Clynelish that is. Shoe polish, soot, lemons, beeswax, sunflower oil, grapefruits, shellfish (the whelks are back!)… With water: waxy perfection. This will be the fasted tasting note ever. Mouth (neat): I don't know what to say. Shuts you up for good. I can hear you. With water: a grand Montrachet, with a medicinal and smoky side. In fact, we're pretty much on Islay here. Finish: herbal liqueurs! Comments: to the dedicated taster, there are two kinds of fabulous whiskies, the ones that will make you write a novel (almost, I mean, better not) and the ones that will leave you speechless. This astounding Clynelish by the Society remains firmly in the second category. Who knew about it?
SGP:562 - 93 points. |
Perhaps an official little 1982 now?... |
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Clynelish 15 yo 1982/1997 (57.7%, OB, Flora & Fauna Cask Strength)
This one's becoming really rare, as many F&F CS have. This should be more on classic beeswax and candied citrus, let's see… Colour: white wine. Nose: starts with an astounding purity, almost solely on beeswax and paraffin indeed, plus some expected citrons (liqueur) and small crystallised citrus fruits. Goes on like this forever. With water: some fermentary notes coming in, fresh bread, some beer, leaven, and naturally, always a lot of wax and citrus. Corsican citron liqueur (Cédrat). Mouth: still a little hot and rustic at 15 yo, with rather massive chalky notes beyond all the wax and the citrus. This one's eminently 'Clynelish', which the regular Flora & Fauna wasn't quite in my book. I'm sure water will work wonders here… With water: pure, epitomically Clynelish, with even more wax, some putty, orgeat syrup, even a little turpentine and sweet pine sap drops as they make them in the nearby Vosges mountain. Lemons in ambush in the background. Finish: long, with the lemons coming out of the woods, so to speak, plus some lovely bitterness, liquorice wood, cherry stems perhaps… Comments: still very slightly brutal here and there, but we accept it and even bow with delight. You're right, typical fan attitude.
SGP:562 – 91 points. |
Good, we've also got two Clynelishes that were distilled in the 1970s to put an end to this unseen madness and I think we'll first have the oldest, as it should be a little gentler. Important word here: 'should'. |
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Clynelish 36 yo 1971/2007 (51.5%, Murray McDavid, Mission Cask Strength, bourbon cask, 265 bottles)
Very early vintages of 'New Clynelish', 1969 – 1970 - 1971 have always been rare, Diageo themselves only ever bottled some 1972. Douglas Laing have had some 1970 and 1971, while Gordon & MacPhail have had a 1969 distilled in May as well as some 1971. Signatory had some 1971 too, and that's pretty much it, apart from less than a handful handed over to high-quality 'sub-bottlers'. Colour: light gold. Nose: this incredible fruitiness from those years, topped with the right amounts of honey and wax. Say acacia honey, tangerines, beeswax, mirabelle plums, apricots, tinned peaches, also a floral side, with some woodruff, wisteria, geranium flowers and a handful of fresh almonds. With water: a tad more towards precious woods, related spices, and perhaps some old-style liqueurs, Bénédictine for example, as well as orange blossom water. Mouth: impressively fresh, with even more honey, wax, candied citrus, zests… A little peppermint in the background, then rathe tropical touches, around pink bananas. On the palate, the oak's impressively unobtrusive, doing its job without ever getting in your way. With water: more wee herbs and camphor coming out, old embrocations, a little eucalyptus, all that always with a lot of freshness. Finish: very good length, still pure and fresh, with a few coastal touches now and some polished (and polite) wood coming to greet you in the aftertaste before the end. Comments: this wonderful old Clynelish is, in my book, of a high quality equivalent to that of the Flora & Fauna, in a rather 'beautiful beast and beastly beauty' situation. Oh well… I'm not sure the water was mandatory.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
Good, I would suppose it's time to put a definitive end to this utter madness. So a very, very last one (I promise)… |
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Clynelish 33 yo 1973 '2nd bottling' (54.6%, Prestonfield/Signatory Vintage for LMDW, cask #8913, 439 bottles, +/-2007)
Please call the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade. Good. We did a 'masterclass' this year at Whisky Live Paris that was meant to be 100% blind. The kind of session that's the equivalent to the breaking wheel to any taster that's still got a little ego, except, in my own case, when one of the whiskies that are poured is such a Clynelish from the early 1970s. You just cannot miss them, they are the GTOs of the whisky world! I would add that sister cask #8912 is at some meagre 95 points on little Whiskyfun. At 95 or more, we consider them 'transcendental'. Colour: straw. Nose: transcendental. One part is that 'meta-blend' of spirits that only a few malts may display. Like mezcal + gentian eau-de-vie + shochu, perhaps even + moutai. And then this very perfect combination of chalk, raw wool, grist and beeswax. Should we need to use only one word, we'd probably use 'mineral', rather than 'waxy'. Okay, two words then. With water: flabbergastingly pure. Sublime minerality. Mouth (neat): extraordinary. This is one of those very few casks of Clynelish that have been pretty Brora-y, with a high peatiness that's never to be encountered in 'regular New Clynelish', neither was it to be found in 'pre-Brora a.k.a. Old Clynelish', at least not to this extent. And yet, some waxy tropical fruits and honeyed lemons are there too, while they are rarely to be found in Brora either. But as I often say, Brora and Clynelish were connected with pipes and only God (and most probably Diageo) knows what used to run through those pipes in the 1970s. Mash? Wash? Low wines? Spirit?... Or only fuel? Or just nothing? Only for decoration? With water: I have to say the Old-Clynelishness is pretty obvious this, with this sootiness and these tiny touches of mustard ala Ben Nevis (indeed). There's some salty and lemony tar as well. Finish: very long, this time much more on pure smoky lemon and paraffin. Pepper, liquorice wood and, indeed, a little mustard in the aftertaste. Plus, perhaps, a little fuel oil… Comments: transcendental.
SGP:464 - 95 points. |
The Podium
95 points
Clynelish 33 yo 1973 '2nd bottling' (54.6%, Prestonfield/Signatory Vintage for LMDW, cask #8913, 439 bottles, +/-2007)
93 points
Clynelish 12 yo (57%, Gordon & MacPhail, distillery label, 75cl, +/-1983)
Clynelish 23 yo 1983/2007 (57.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #26.50, 'Heather, hay and honey', refill hogshead)
92 points
Clynelish 16 yo 1983/2000 (57.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #26.14)
Clynelish 30 yo 1990/2022 (47.7%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist #12, bourbon barrel, cask #3477, 137 bottles)
… and quite a bunch of stunning 91s and 90s. What a session! |
I had thought we would also have some pre-Brora Old Clynelish, but no, we won't welch on our promise, so next time!
(With many, many thanks to Angus, the Burlet Bros., Lars (big time!) and Thierry as well as the LMDW / Whisky Live / WhiskyMag / Golden Promise crew and all the lovely bottlers who keep releasing some wonderful Clynelish, including the owners of course).
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| Notice to the public: this is the one Clynelish I desperately need to try one day, before closing. >>> |
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