Tastin 4 Clynelishes

I think Clynelish often, too often if you ask me, are tasted with Brora as a benchmark. Remember, they were 2 different distilleries. Clynelish has now no peat in their new-make but perhaps there are some to be found in the older ones in this session, lets see.


Clynelish 12yo 40% Ainslie and Heilbron

A young oldie. I have never seen this label before it popped up at an auction a couple months back. I hope it can be one of the classic ones which made people aware of the quality from this distillery. Golden color. It smells sweet, parsnips, honey melon, grassy, fresh, lavender, puff pastry, light. The taste is thick, malty, creamy, cinnamon, coriander, honey, peaty, wow! The finish is long, peaty, peppery, warming.

Howcome these old whiskies so much better than todays standards?: 8


Clynelish 12yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask

I think these two whiskies makes for a fair comparison, one older and the other a bit stronger, both bottled at 12yo. Light golden color. It smells bitter, fino for sure, lime rind, mostly lime rind and gasoline in this one. The taste is rich, creamy, sweet, bourbon, cinnamon, fried bananas, honey, wheat. Not much peat in this one, if any at all, but the quite bitter finish leaves a lasting impression.

Another great one, and with a small peat sensation, it'd been a tie: 7


Clynelish 22yo 1989-2011 50.9% The Whisky Agency

One called "Moody Lions", from an ex-bourbon wood. Light golden color, I wish I had some 20+yo sherried Clynelishes as well, just for comparions, but today its all bourbon wood in the 20's. Smells light, spirity, peppery, some onions and straw. Not nearly as complex as the youngsters. The taste is thick, sweet, mustard, nestles, orange, barley. The finish is dry, unripe apples, very light, a very bleak malt experience, and considering the price and age fro this I was expecting a bit more.

a pretty uninspiring Lion: 4


Clynelish 22yo 1989-2011 53.2% Malts of Scotland cask#12012

From a bourbon hogshead, same age, vintage and wood as the last one, the size of the cask might de different of course. Should I assume an identical whisky? The color is light golden. It smells oaky, wool, old fabric, paint thinner, minty. Not a favorite so far. The taste is burnt, grassy, green leaves, peaty. As floral as it gets perhaps, like a raw lowlander.. say Littlemill 5 or something, really not my kind of whisky. Water improves nothing.

From now, I'll take a young Clynelish over an older one any day: 2



Next tasting: More Clynelish