Clynelish 36 yo 1971 / 2007 Murray McDavid 51.5% vs Clynelish 32 yo 1974 / 2006 The Whisky Fair 58.6%
Clynelish 36 yo 1971 / 2007 Murray McDavid 51.5%
Brilliant whisky. Clynelish is a standalone great. Bathe in hot wax here, lots of it, and stinging sap. Minerals and clean phenolic facets combine for a winning profile: Hot flints, beads of resin. wispy white smoke from upwind embers, moss on wet branches. Clean clay earth. Honey and dusty pollen. Lacquer and cream. It’s hard to put down in words how it’s austere but also multifaceted, and so very convincing. 91 pts
Clynelish 32 yo 1974 / 2006 The Whisky Fair 58.6%
Similar, of course, but a lot more closed – could be the strength – and also a lot more visceral. Hot wax, lots of flint, struck sparks on flints and granite. Earthy elements abound – Petrichor, wet moss, upturned earth, thin oils. Hints of camphor and menthol rubs. Surprise! Quite explosive on the palate with hot wax everywhere. Also explodes with white smoke, embers, mineral oil, peppercorns and lots of little waxy resinous and mineral notes. So even narrower than the Murray McDavid but tighter, more of a solid elemental fist. 91 pts
Whiskyrific RSS
- 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%
- Talisker 25 yo ‘Bottle TA25 3987’ 45.8% ~ bottle code L0296CM004 bottled 2020 vs Ledaig 11 yo 2008 / 2019 The Swan Song & 1BRD #700104 58.7%
whiskyrific 