Review by: zSolaris

Bottler: WhiskyDoris

Distillery: Clynelish

Region: Highland

Age: 19 year. Distilled in 2000, Bottled in 2020.

Cask Type: Bourbon Hogshead

Cask Number: #1417

ABV: 52.4%

Color: 0.3, Pale Gold.

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Nose: (according to the wife) It’s got a quite interesting smell. There’s a funky, slightly fermented note. It’s almost salty and brine-y. There’s a bit of a note of kombucha and some cream as well.

Palate: It’s quite an unexpected flavor. It’s very mineral heavy with a bit of a strange, funky, salty note of marmite. There are some earthy notes as well in the form of wild mushrooms and wild rice. With some water, it becomes every so slightly waxy.

Finish: Short. It’s quite woody and a lot of funk going on.

Conclusion: When you see a Clynelish aged in bourbon, your mind is probably jumping to thinking of a nice and slightly fruity whisky with a lot of waxiness in it. Mine did for sure. This whisky is absolutely not that. It’s quite funky and earthy. The kombucha note in the nose is a bit of a rude awakening. The marmite in the palate is just odd. The wild mushrooms and rice are great and help balance things out, but man this was different. I think some people will enjoy this a lot, but this one is not quite for me.

Final Score: 72.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.