Six Particular Clynelish and Two Potential Clynelish

Clynelish 10 yo 2011/2021 (59.1%, The Whisky Alternate, cask #800293, bourbon barrel, 205 bottles)
Color: brilliant straw. Nostril: it is a sweeter one which feels as if the wax is dialled down within the combine, with extra juicy fruits, bubblegum and wee notes of inexperienced orchard fruits and flower nectars to the fore. It is contemporary and very ‘speedy’ and interesting, however maybe a Clynelish that appears extra ‘inland’ that out to sea… With water: opens up with moist bracken, tree bark, lemon verbena and citronella wax. Mouth: once more a lighter take, with extra pollens, honeys, vase water and an impression of sweetened olive oil and golden syrup. The cask is fairly lively however not pushy. With water: somewhat extra classical waxiness but additionally fairly a couple of cooking oils, peppery watercress, miso and buttered white toast. End: medium and properly peppery, warming and oily with some sweeter malt extract tones. Feedback: an especially high-quality drop, with a very beautiful neat nostril. Though, I believe the 2010s have been a bit extra spectacular general.
SGP: 651 – 87 factors.

Clynelish 10 yo 2010/2021 (59.7%, Elixir Distillers ‘The Single Malts of Scotland’, cask #800204, bourbon barrel, 226 bottles)
Color: straw. Nostril: brisker and extra citric. Lemon air freshener, bathtub salts, mossy tree bark and freshly starched linens. There’s additionally a way of seaside pebbles, chalk and somewhat clay. Total a sharper and barely extra chiselled profile. With water: sandalwood, pebbles, inexperienced herbs, heather flowers and plain cereals. A pleasant sense of weight about it. Mouth: waxier for certain however nonetheless with these clear impressions of olive and sunflower oils, additionally mineral oils, menthol tobacco, pine wooden and a few medicinal herbs resembling wintergreen. With water: thicker in texture now, extra oils, gentle medical natural notes, white miso, peppery warmth and a wee contact of sandalwood. End: medium and properly drying, gently waxy, pepper, mineral and chalky. Feedback: undoubtedly my favorite of those two. I do really feel these 2010s have one thing somewhat additional’ about them when it comes to general distillery charisma.
SGP: 562 – 88 factors.

Clynelish 23 yo 1997/2012 (53.3%, Milroy’s, cask #12359, hogshead)
A part of a beautiful collection they did just lately revisiting the outdated Milroy’s labels. All the pieces else I attempted from this run of bottlings to date was fairly terrific so excessive hopes right here… Color: pale gold. Nostril: splendidly honeyed and resinous at first nosing. Honeycomb and an impression of aged meads and pressed wildflowers. Then it continues with many wee notes of mineral oils, lanolin, Barbour grease and touches of bouillon, dried herbs and Maggi. Love this very savoury and expressive profile. With water: face cream, sunflower oil, citronella candles, gorse flower and shoe polish. Completely dry and fantastically composed. Mouth: excellent arrival! Totally classical Clynelish waxiness. Dry, oily and splendidly mineral – like some bone dry aged chenin – then tiny wee buttery and toasty notes, crystallised citrus rinds and extra barely salty and honeyed vibes. With water: splendidly oily in texture now, with nice peppery, spreading heat, eucalyptus and tea tree oils, natural teas and tiger balm. These gorgeously syrupy and mild medicinal vibes that sit beneath all the things. End: lengthy, filled with waxed canvas, olive oils, medicinal herbs, unique fruits teas and once more this completely elegant dryness, waxiness and peppery qualities – with an aftertaste that makes you suppose somewhat extra of Talisker. Feedback: excellent, benchmark Nineteen Nineties Clynelish. Simply adore this drier profile that teeters between some aged Riesling and aged Talisker – any adventurous mixologists on the market…?
SGP: 562 – 91 factors.

Clynelish 24 yo 1996/2020 (54.6%, Sansibar for Japanwhisky, bourbon hogshead, 281 bottles)
Love the label on this one! Color: pale gold. Nostril: it doesn’t fairly scream ‘CLYNELISH’ within the method of that 1997. That is extra leafy and generously on inexperienced orchard fruits, honey, pollens and vase water. In reality these fruity notes of gooseberry, kiwi and apple begin to turn out to be actually fairly pronounced and lovely with somewhat time. With water: somewhat sturdier and thicker now, with freshly bailed hay, boot polish and a few heather ales and honey. Additionally a wee camphory contact. Mouth: once more a leaner, extra cereal pushed and greenly fruity Clynelish. There is a waxiness however it’s down within the combine and is well-balanced by these olive and sunflower oil tones which appear frequent not at this age with these vintages. Some impressions of shoe leather-based and mineral oils. With water: once more a notch fatter and ‘wider’. Some extra overt waxiness and a pleasant sense of plush, polished cereals and malt extracts. Juicy and completely candy now. End: medium and with a barely shocking espresso observe, some inexperienced herbs, grapefruit, tangerine and pithy citrus. Feedback: there is not any doubt that is some terrific, reasonably fruity and really enjoyable Clynelish, it is simply that it maybe suffered a wee bit after that excellent 1997. Anyway…
SGP: 651 – 89 factors.

Clynelish 24 yo 1996/2020 (54.9%, Whisky Nerds, bourbon hogshead, 282 bottles)
I believe it is a sibling cask, or from a really proximate batch… Color: pale gold. Nostril: yup, very comparable profile. Inexperienced orchard fruits, gentle honey notes, flower pollens, heather ales and a pleasant impression of chlorophyll and mild however rising waxy impressions. Lemon verbena, natural teas and sandalwood. With water: breads, waxes, cereals, pollens and a extra scattered beery scents. Once more that is completely lean and properly punchy. Mouth: drier, leaner and extra chiselled. A barely brittle and peppery waxiness, toasty cereal tones, bitter ales, some sturdy bready notes and classical impressions of hessian and olive oil. With water: once more this enchancment within the texture, appears to be a factor with Clynelish, properly oily, mouth-coating and with a beautiful medium-dry balanced profile that is heat, peppery and displaying a fantastic waxiness. End: lengthy and chunky on malt extract, waxes, rye breads, beers and fatty cereal tones. Feedback: no quibbles right here. Prime notch, reasonably punchy Clynelish.
SGP: 462 – 90 factors.

Highland Single Malt 27 yo 1994/2021 (47.9%, Thompson Bros, refill hogshead, 231 bottles)
These cats up in Dornoch are very keen on… nicely… cats. Very cool label! However will they get sued for copyright by the Goodies? Color: pale gold. Nostril: certainly one of these older examples that begins to point out a extra resinous aspect, gentle drying waxy tones, rapeseed oil, suet, camphor and sandalwood. Additionally some fairly clear notes of mead and heather flowers. Mouth: easy and immediately on waxes, breads and beers. This pretty oiliness that strays into metallic polish and copper cash with impressions of oily rags and gear packing containers. Feels virtually reasonably mechanical in the very best sense. End: a tad on the shorter aspect however filled with barley sugars, waxes and metallic polish. Feedback: a beautiful, reasonably extra mechanical tackle Clynelish, easy however at this ABV it goes down with perilous ease. Wax juice in your hipflask.
SGP: 462 – 89 factors.

Clynelish 26 yo 1993/2020 (52.7%, Carn Mor, cask #11215, bourbon barrel, 173 bottles)
Color: pale gold. Nostril: a fantastically fruity and waxy profile at first. Maybe probably the most instantly ‘Clynelish’ of all of them to date. Citrons, waxes, aged sauternes, salted honey and flower nectars. A very immaculate and completely enchanting nostril. With water: simply nearly as good however even wider and extra complicated. A beneficiant and pulpy waxy high quality with white stone fruits, yellow plums and fir wooden. Mouth: what I used to be not anticipating was the facility on arrival right here. A number of waxes, soots, polishes, furnishings oils and citrus rinds, however backed up by a way of precision and energy that is fairly hanging. These great polished mineral qualities, emotions of petrol, aged dry riesling with these pretty honeyed and buttery vibes and background notes of lanolin, sandalwood and medicinal herbs. Terrific! With water: similar feedback as on the nostril. Holds collectively completely however simply turns into a wee tad fruitier, somewhat extra peppery and these pretty, gooey wax qualities turn out to be sweeter and slicker. End: lengthy, honeyed, displaying pretty contemporary heathery and coastal flower notes together with natural and unique fruit teas. Feedback: completely excellent Clynelish that feels prefer it was captured at an ideal age. Is it simply me, or are these 1993s usually excellent? Virtually 92 factors.
SGP: 462 – 91 factors.

Highland Single Malt 36 yo ‘Alice In Wonderland’ 1983 (51.1%, Membership Qing ‘Fairy Story Sequence’, cask #7751, hogshead, 163 bottles)
Truthfully, I’ve no proof in any way that that is Clynelish, however there are whispers, and such a tasting appears nearly as good a spot as any to do that one… Color: gold. Nostril: actually beautifully old skool at first nosing with massive, plush waxiness, tiny medicinal complexities, ointments, hessian fabric, candied citrus rind and even these impressions of lengthy aged dessert wines. With water: all on lanolin, hessians, salted olive oil, aged mead and tiny notes of aniseed and fennel. Excellent! Mouth: may virtually be displaying OBE, however that can not be, that is beautifully on metallic polish, bouillon, marrow, natural ointments, camphor, fir wooden resins and chamomile tea. If you happen to’d given me this and advised me it was an outdated Cadenhead dumpy I’d not have issued one single blink. With water: once more properly oily, fatty, natural and even somewhat bready now, seed bread and wholemeal scones. Many dried herbs and unique fruit teas as nicely. End: surprisingly good size, and actually medicinal now as nicely with many herbs, waxes and oils. Feedback: actually, I am not likely satisfied that is Clynelish. Feels extra akin to some outdated Glenlochy. However no matter it truly is, it is a beautiful and very scrumptious outdated type highlander. What’s it doing on Hong Kong I ask you? Certainly that is unlawful?
SGP: 463 – 91 factors.