Clynelish, located in the northern Highlands, is one of the most revered and consistent of all Scottish distilleries. The official distillery output is normally restricted to a 14 year old–one of the most reliably excellent and fairly priced distillery bottlings out there (especially if you can get it in the region of $50)–and a double matured Distiller’s Edition which sees the normal 14 year old “finished” in sherry casks. The distillery’s spirit is also the cornerstone of a number of owner Diageo’s blends, including the million-selling Johnnie Walker line. While this means that it is unlikely to ever be closed it also means that as the demand for Scotch whisky (overwhelmingly in the form of blends) grows in Asian markets and continues to outstrip supply, production of the Clynelish 14 is likely to be constrained and the price therefore susceptible to marked increases (as has already begun to happen with some of Diageo’s other premier malts). So, if you like it a lot, buy a few bottles now and put them away. For now at least, the vast number of casks of Clynelish floating out there among blenders and brokers means that high-quality independent bottlings are not hard to find.
The characteristics most associated with Clynelish’s whisky are a somewhat unique waxiness and a briny quality that may or may not have anything to do with its coastal location (probably not, but it is a romantic thought). Clynelish from ex-bourbon casks, in particular, often also display a minerally fruitiness. The whisky I am reviewing here is a quintessential example of this style. It is from a bourbon barrel that was bottled by the UK retailer, The Whisky Exchange for their Single Malts of Scotland line.