
August 21, 2025

WF’s Little Duos, today Clynelish (plus two secret ones)

I feel I must insist: I find it a real shame that Clynelish is disappearing from independent ranges—at least under its own name—especially when the official range is so limited. It’s a malt with real character; it’s the opposite of “just another Speysider” that relies on active casks to stand out… In short, I hope it doesn’t become a missing piece in the marvellous puzzle of Scotch malts. Because a puzzle with a missing piece—well, you know what I mean…

Clynelish 17 yo 2008/2025 (53.1%, Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange, bourbon cask series, bourbon barrel, cask #800073, 186 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: the purest chalk and slate, seamlessly entwined with paraffin oil, candlewax and green apple juice, the barrel only whispering of vanilla and honey, with great restraint. With water: virtually unchanged, perhaps a touch of vineyard peach and a wisp of flint, if one insists. Mouth (neat): powerful, cutting, yet texturally ample. The chalk and wax return, but this time it's lemon stepping in for the green apple. A stunning clarity of flavour. With water: again, water alters very little, save for some playful hints of fennel and aniseed adding yet more lift. Finish: long, pristine, on citrus fruits and, once again, those aniseed touches. The world’s best pastis, if you will. The aftertaste is nicely mineral and a little saline, one might almost find a wee oyster lurking in there. A light lemon fizz too. Comments: a Clynelish close to the distillate, which matters all the more with this style. The barrel merely serving as a jewel box for this little gem.
SGP:562 - 89 points.

Clynelish 28 yo 1996/2025 (49.9%, Casky Hong Kong & Kanpakai Japan, Finest Selection, refill bourbon hogshead, cask #11444, 171 bottles)

We had found some 1996 ex-sherries a little unbalanced, but here we are in good hands and the vintage was a great one! Incidentally, a distiller once told me that vintages meant nothing, to which I replied by asking why they put them on their labels then. Ha. Colour: pale gold. Nose: a solid hit of tar at first, rather unusual, followed by linseed oil, then it simply unfolds like a fine white Burgundy, perhaps a Meursault. Crushed chalk, toasted bread, lemon marmalade, honeysuckle, beeswax... Mouth: tremendous bitterness, in the realm of propolis, lemon, pistachio butter, candied citron, lime juice, then a resinous touch, probably from the wood, veering towards tar liqueur (back again!) Finish: very long and markedly more maritime. Oysters with green peppercorns, then lemon marmalade returning. A drop of amaro, followed by more pepper, even chilli heat in the aftertaste. Comments: a perfect bridge between this and the 1972 and 1983 vintages. Ha, vintages… In any case, this is splendid.
SGP:561 - 91 points.

We want more Clynelish again! Well then, since we’re on the subject…

Distilled in Sutherland 5 yo (47.9%, Thompson Bros. for Whisky Fair Limburg 2024, blended malt, 120 bottles)

A blend of Clynelish and Dornoch, it would appear. We’re slightly behind schedule… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: cider apples and gooseberries mingled with plaster and pear and apple eaux-de-vie. In the background, a touch of soot and the proverbial paraffin oil rather than beeswax. Mouth: ah I do like this, it's all on small berries, holly, rowan, service tree, also little apples, jujubes, medlars and all those things that aren’t always terribly aromatic but are charming and delicate in flavour. Finish: fairly long, with the chalk closing up shop while the pear sings in the aftertaste, along with a slightly oily texture. Comments: quite 'eau-de-vie' in style, or even ultra-luxury vodka, which is of course a compliment—as long as it’s not Kremlinskaia, naturally.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Secret Highland Distillery 14 yo 2010/2024 (51.7%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams for the Wicked Whisky Compagnie, Belgium, PX hogshead)

It’s hit or miss… Colour: amber. Nose: hit—it smells of praline mingled with beeswax, boot polish and chestnut honey. No overload of raisins, mercifully. With water: wafts of old cellars and still quite a bit of polish. Soot, saltpetre, very dark chocolate. Mouth (neat): Clynelish and sherry can clash, in my modest experience, but that’s not the case here, it’s just packed with polish, smoked seafood (oysters) and black pepper. Quite the beast. With water: well then, here’s a Clynelish holding its own against the sherry. I’m not saying there aren’t a few squeaks and groans along the way, but it all ends on tar and a rather characteristic salinity. Or perhaps not so characteristic after all. Finish: long and properly saline, we’re almost heading into coastal amontillado territory. Comments: really very lovely, though one wonders how it might fare with shrimp croquettes from the Belgian coast. A very dry PX.
SGP:462 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Clynelish we've tasted