Review #164 - Clynelish 14 Year
A favorite distillery of many single malt enthusiasts, it's unfortunately not the easiest malt to come by these days. There is this standard 14 year entry, and the distillery is often included in the annual Diageo special releases, but there isn't really a 'core range' to explore. On top of that, it's becoming increasingly uncommon to find Clynelish bottles from independent bottlers, so those of us who love the distillery really need to search for our fix.
In an unusual move from Diageo, we do actually get this Clynelish 14 Year at 46% ABV, which is a nice touch. Generally, this will lean heavily toward the ex-bourbon side of maturation, though there may be varying amounts of sherry influence based on the specific batch. In our batch, it was definitely a bourbon-heavy experience, which is our favorite cask style for this spirit.
Clynelish 14 Year
Scotland/Highlands - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 79 (2022)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 75 (2023)
Age Statement: 14 Years
Strength: 46% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 6 times over 4 months. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Beeswax and honeycomb is a strong theme, with some sweet organic honey as well; it's pleasant and subtle, and slightly spirit-forward as well, possibly pointing toward some proportion of refill casks in use. A decent amount of fruit: melon, pineapple, ripe banana, and guava all show up, even a hint of darker fig. There's baking spice, too: brown sugar, vanilla, and soft cinnamon. Nicely malty grains, perfume, and polished furniture wood arrive with time.
Palate: Casual warmth with sharp fruits: burnt orange, and a bit of fig. The main focus of the palate, though, is baking spice and oak: cardamom, dry cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and some soft vanilla, it's all here. The oak is slightly polished and perfumed, and there's a sweet oat/grain flavor before some soft floral notes and just a hint of smoke. There are hints of beeswax again in the background, but not a lot of that 'waxy' Clynelish character we might expect; the mouthfeel is medium.
Finish: Medium length, maybe medium-long, and two main categories of flavors: sweetness, in the form of honey, butterscotch, and brown sugar; but also spice, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and white pepper coming from the decent oak influence. The softest fruits of fizzy pineapple and apples are present in the aftertaste, and we have lingering notes of lemon oil and perfume.
Final Note: A really nice, classy dram. Plenty of bright, sweet flavors, and the spirit influence is present, but restrained and measured to a perfect soft touch. There isn't a lot of that waxy mouthfeel and wax taste you sometimes hear about with Clynelish whiskies, just a hint; still, plenty of sweeter honey and fruit notes are balanced by spiced oak flavors, giving this a nice balance. For a 'daily sipper,' this would be one of our favorite bottles.
Our Average Rating: 7.4 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.94
Check out our other Clynelish reviews:
Review #84 - SMWS 26.194 'Bish. Bash. Bosh!' - Clynelish 10 Year
Review #83 - SMWS 26.192 'Afternoon Baking' - Clynelish 10 Year
