Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Clynelish.
Bottler: SMWS.
Region: Scotland/Highland Single Malt.
ABV: 51.2%. Cask Strength.
Age: 25 Years. Distilled in May 1983. Bottled in 2009.
Cask type: Refill Hogshead.
Nose: Big herbal spice, olive oil, walnuts, thyme and lemon peel, monkey pod seeds, peppercorn, subtle hints of tar and fresh asphalt on a mellow acrid quality.
Palate: Medium-bodied, coconut oil, waxy, tropical fruit, strawberry cream cheese frosting, white chocolate, subtle rose water and anise, black pepper, wispy tobacco smoke and green apple at the end.
Finish: Long with floral and berry notes between creamy waxy fat.
Mental Image: Italian Cooking Demo at the Luau.
Conclusion: Big herbal notes arrived with a sachet of fresh herbs from the garden, crushed pine nuts, and nutty olive oil. Thyme, grapefruit, and lemon peel stood out as earthier elements built up, monkey pod seeds scattered on the ground, dry earth, hints of tractor tires, tar, and fresh asphalt laid down by a distant road crew. Medium-bodied, the palate was fruit, tropical, and spicy, with an initial wave of coconut oil, fats, and fresh strawberry. The fats congealed as classic Clynelish waxiness, missing on the nose, appeared on the palate with tropical mountain apples. Strawberry cream cheese cake frosting came to mind between the creamy-fatty notes and fruit with black pepper, rose water, anise, wispy tobacco smoke, and a touch of green apple at the end. The finish was long and slightly floral with berries and creamy-waxy fatty notes.
I would never have guessed this was a Clynelish, not after the nose lacked intense fruits or waxiness. On the palate, the paraffin quality of the malt did come alive on occasion, but it was always closer to the mild nuttiness of olive oil. The industrial quality on the nose, an oddity for Clynelish in my experience, carried through on the palate, primarily popping with some wispy tobacco smoke at the end.
Overall, unique and nothing like the Clynelish I have had before. The wife gave it a “4/5 strong potential as a bath scotch,” which is high praise from her indeed.
Final Score: 85.
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.
Malt Runners 