Clynelish Overview

Clynelish 10 years old, Adelphi’s Highlands bottled at 46 % abv by Adelphi

First things first: Batch 2 of the Selection series by Adelphi. Joining in on the affordable side of whisky releases with this one? In characteristically small letters we do find the name Clynelish on the label. Bourbon matured. 

Upon Sipping: This should be pretty straightforward, something we totally adore. And yes it is, we can only rejoice when we smell such a classic waxy Clynelish nose! Fresh vanilla candles, cut grass, whiffs of sandy sea air. In the distance even a gentle whiff of young cheese on a dry cracker. A malt to pour yourself after hanging the laundry out in the wind to dry. Clean, wet clothes. With time, some fruity notes arise, but these are sidenotes. What a wonderfully clean nose, amazing. On the palate, the strong waxy character of Clynelish takes the driver’s seat, but the backseat driving is done by the vanilla. This clashes into some lemon flavours, leaning further and further towards agave. An alternative for tequila shots, this Clynelish by Adelphi. I really like it. The finish carries a nice peppery send off, but it remains gentle. The waxes are there, front, middle and back, sometimes even very sticky and syrupy. That makes this almost a textbook example of Clynelish with which to introduce your friends to the delights of this distillery. A drop of water brings out a pleasant bitterness. 

Word to the Wise: If there ever was an entry-level Clynelish that shows you all the elements that this single malt is famous for, this could be it. Batch whisky for the win, and bourbon casks that dominate but do not outstay their welcome. This is close to perfect. 

Score: 88 points.

Clynelish 2013, 12 years old, bottled at 49,1 % abv by Thompson Brothers

First things first: After maturation in dechar hogsheads made of French and American oak, 613 bottles of this Clynelish were released in January 2026. Beautiful kitty on the label! 

Upon Sipping: This should be a contrast with the classic Clynelish bottled by Adelphi. The waxy aroma is indeed subdued and overruled by caramel and chocolate. Not much else. The mouthfeel is nicely silky and chocolate infused, resulting in a rather woody finish. Yeah, this is much less my style of whisky drinking, as it leans more towards a bourbon flavour of wood, grain and that dechar also does not go unnoticed. But there is a solution and that is the tiniest drop of water. This brings out more notes, even if they stay close to bourbon characters like bubblegum and smoky vanilla. On the palate more sweetness now. With the chocolate dialled back a few notches there is more to enjoy. 

Word to the Wise: Nothing wrong with this, well, it is Clynelish but it could have been any whisky. The spectrum of this whisky covers a lot of grounds bourbon lovers will appreciate. The bottling is well made, just not my preferred style. Take my score with a grain of salt. 

Score: 82 points.

Clynelish 8 years old, vintage 2018, bottled at 50 % abv by Vintage Malt Whisky Co.

First things first: Bottled in the Cooper’s Choice – The Golden Cut Collection this Clynelish was distilled in March 2018 and bottled in 2026 after maturing in a bourbon cask # 303893. The yield was 360 bottles. 

Upon Sipping: Oh dear, this is a difficult one, as it is dominated a bit too much by buttery notes, covering a layer of vanilla, that in total buries the entire Clynelish character. Where the Adelphi shines like a diamond, this Cooper’s Choice is still rather muddy. The taste compensates a lot, as it offers a nice fruitiness with hints of pineapple and mushy apples. The finish is overly bitter. One starts to wonder what the provenance of these casks were. But maybe we should conclude that 8 years is not enough for such a big spirit as Clynelish to settle a bit. There are redeeming factors though. We put in some water and this releases a maritime whiff that is very enticing. The taste seems to mellow from it as well. More waxes, finally, on the palate, and a creamy finish that is not so bitter anymore. 

Word to the Wise: I have to admit I struggled with this Clynelish. With patience and water you can certainly make it work, but there are some flaws as well. That is no shame when you bottle an industriously produced malt at a young age. If anything, this bottling shows an interesting insight into how Clynelish matures over the years. 

Score: 79 points.

Secret Highland Distillery 2011, 14 years old, bottled at 57,4 % abv by Claxton’s

First things first: This Claxton’s bottling was done for The Whisky Mercenary in Belgium. Distilled on 8 June 2011 and bottled on 6 February 2026, this Clynelish matured in an oloroso quarter cask yielding 157 bottles. 

Upon Sipping: The entire 14 (and a half) years in a quarter cask? Here we go… Not a bad nose to start with, with some more minty notes one would expect from a Clynelish. The oloroso has not rubbed off any fruit, but logically a lot of oak. Dark wood notes, antiques in a furniture store. And some faint waxes, to emphasise we have Clynelish in the glass here. On the palate, well, the wood notes are strongly there, making this Clynelish feel twice as old. Then enter some lovely strong chocolate notes, something Nestle could make, with whiffs of caramel topping on the inside of a Mars bar. It reminds me of many Wolfburn expressions I tasted, which leaned heavily on smaller casks as well for their younger releases. Still, I do believe the cask type obliterates the Clynelish character a bit too much, as in: it makes the distillate anecdotal. That is totally fine with a regular Glensomething, but with Clynelish it comes close to blasphemy. With water, we manage to bring out pleasant fruity notes, but the wood always lingers, like an unwelcome guest that you invited to your party out of courtesy. 

Word to the Wise: The cask type does exactly what you might expect, but I think it is a pity to use the expressive, extraverted Clynelish distillate for such a maturation. It is like holding a horse back for tricks while it wants to race all out. Having said that, the spirit is fine, no real flaws to be found, just be aware: this is a quarter cask whisky. 

Score: 82 points.