Clynelish, Batch 2, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, 50.6%
‘That Boutique-y Whisky Company’ is really the name of the bottler, a cutting edge modern name too, for a relatively conservative industry. It is owned and run by Masters of Malt, and as if to match its modern name, it is perfectly paired with light-heartedly funny drawn graphic labels. It encapsulates the lighter side of the whisky experience, especially when one considers it is NAS and bottled in 50cl bottles, as if begging to be wantonly drunk and not taken (too) seriously. That may not be a fair comment, but I love the label anyway.
Three cats – 2 kittens and mommy, are having a chat. The Scottish wildcat appears on all Clynelish OBs, a historical reference to Duke of Sutherland’s former estate which included the town of Brora, so the allusion is clear. “I can haz cheezburger?” is a Lolcat meme. If you don’t already know, the internet loves cats, and if you don’t, google it! The fine looking older kitten serving as a good example to its somewhat immature brother, is of course Brora. The message is clear: Clynelish has big shoes to fill. But then you might argue Clynelish has in fact done a fantastic job filling said shoes. In which case the folks at Master of Malt must be die hard Brora aficionados.
Nose: Sort of reserved but there’s an thick oily sweetness, woody spicy vanilla pods and also waxy fruit skins – I know it’s Clynelish but I swear it’s there. Also quite hot and thick. Some ground quartz, and something balmy too. So promising. With water: rounder, gentler, more sweet wood but the minerals are louder and carry through.
Palete: Again thick sweet start, woody and fruit-estery in parts, but quickly turning into minerals. Tabasco mixed with antacids topped with a herby rubbing balm. Really good. With water: gentler but same profile.
Finish: Tad dry, long, baking soda and sand.
This is great, no brash and obvious sherry, though it is disclosed as from a sherry cask. This is ‘whisky’ whisky. Sweetish and ‘chemically’ equally, with something to please everyone, and yet maintain great balance.
Whiskyrific RSS
- Springbank 32 yo 1966 / 1998 #499 55.1%
- Millburn 36 yo 1969 / 2005 Douglas Laing #DL2152 50% vs Glenburgie 40 yo 1963 / 2003 Signatory #4751 56.4%
- Ben Nevis 23 yo 1996 / 2019 Single Malts of Scotland for the Nectar #536 51.3% vs A Speyside Distillery 32 yo 1989 / 2022 Thompson Bros 51.4%
- Brora 22 yo 1972 / 1995 Rare Malts 61.1% vs Brora 22 yo 1972 / 1995 Rare Malts 58.7%
- Talimburg 19 yo 1986 / 2005 The Whisky Fair #1485 45.9% vs Talisker 20 yo 1981 / 2002 62%
- Caol Ila 12 yo Bulloch Lade for Zenith 43% vs Caol Ila 30 yo 1979 / 2010 Berry Bros #4604/5 55.6%
- Clynelish 29 yo 1965 Whyte & Whyte 52.1%
- Brora 21 yo 1982 / 2003 Signatory #416 58.4% vs Clynelish 27 yo 1982 / 2009 Synch Eli Daily Dram 46%
- Dornoch 5 yo 2017 / 2023 #46 ‘Jasper Broers’ 57.9% vs Shizuoka ‘private cask’ 2017 / 2022 #2017-108 61%
- Clynelish 26 yo 1993 / 2020 Carn Mor #11215 52.7% vs Bowmore 17 yo 2004 /2021 SMWS 3.327 ‘Siren’s Song’ 57.1%
whiskyrific 