Clynelish 14 Year

Appearance (no score): Russet in color. When swirled, a thin film clings to the glass, and slow-moving legs appear. Nose: 17/20 Sweetness is present, along with a mellow character. Primarily honey, complemented by stone fruit like apricots and cherries. A faint scent of fermented grapes is detectable, though the specific wine type is unclear. Hints of freshly baked bread and butter round out the aroma. Palate: 33/40 The waxy sensation on the initial taste is always a pleasure. It's less sweet than the aroma suggested, leaning towards a pastry-like quality, reminiscent of buttered, lightly salted fruit scones. Tart, crisp apples are present, alongside a touch of savory caramel and a hint of cinnamon. Finish: 32/40 A medium-length finish. It begins with savory and salty notes, then transitions back to emphasize the bready flavors. The sweetness fades, replaced by a hearty wheat loaf character, possibly salted crackers, before concluding with a leafy, earthy tobacco note. Curiously, after a small burp following the second sip, the flavor evoked canned peaches. With Water: The tart and crisp apples noted on the palate are now prominent in the aroma, with an added vanilla note that wasn't previously detected. The palate itself transforms, remaining sweet and pastry-forward but becoming bolder and slightly hotter. The tobacco note at the finish takes on a smokier quality, akin to smoking a cigar. Total: 82/100 Final thoughts: This expression is a preferred choice for starting tasting sessions. It's a genuinely good whisky, easy to drink on its own, yet also very versatile and fundamental, complementing various flavor profiles effectively. Its price is increasing locally, but it remains a staple I aim to keep a backup of. Price: $68 Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes

Many of us have consumed this in various Johnnie Walker blends, but this single malt deserves recognition. It has a respectable age statement and a fair price; not much else to add. Let's try it. Nose: Faint peat smoke and sea salt. Evokes a beach morning. Honeydew, gala apple, pear, and apricot add depth to the coastal notes. Pineapple and perhaps some peach introduce more sweetness. Strong butterscotch. Toffee, vanilla, and malt. Honey and caramel. Sugar cookies. Toasted almonds. A hint of freshly baked pastry. Light cinnamon and wood. Fruity, juicy, and sweet. A good start. Palate: Honeydew, pineapple, and peach are prominent. Very sweet. Apple, pear, and apricot. Raspberry. Citrusy orange. Honey, toffee, vanilla, butterscotch. Caramel and milk chocolate. White pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, and wood. Finish: Malt, toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla. Apple, pear, apricot, and golden raisin. Citrusy orange. Milk chocolate. Black and white pepper, cinnamon, and wood. Moderately long. A hidden gem. With a single malt this good, it's a shame the distillery doesn't offer a wider selection. This has an aroma reminiscent of Oban, but a taste closer to a traditional Highland malt. It's distinctive and, more importantly, excellent. My score was 4/5. This is before considering value. If I find a whisky offers good value, I usually increase the score by a quarter star. However, for a 14-year-old at 46% for $64, I'm making an exception and adding a half star. They ensured this would be a quality malt without compromise. I strongly recommend it. 4.5/5.

Nose: Light and delicate, offering a soft entry with subtle floral and aromatic cues of honey, caramel, and gentle orange. Palate: Opens with gentle sweetness, balanced by citrus-driven spice. Vibrant notes of orange peel lift the profile, while smooth honey weaves through to round out the edges for a well-composed sip. Finish: Subtle and short, leaving a lingering whisper of wax, sweetness, and spice. The first nose meets me with honey and caramel, warm and familiar — the bourbon cask speaking clearly. Beneath it, a soft glow of orange zest, more mellow than lemon, like oils pressed gently from the peel. On the palate it spreads oily and full, clinging to the glass and to the tongue alike. Yet it carries a lightness, a freshness, that keeps it from feeling heavy. The spice here is not wood or cinnamon but the lively spark of citrus itself — a brightness that tingles without ever biting. With water, the whisky shifts. The orange steps forward, the honey stretches out, and the dram grows slimmer, lighter — a “skinnier dram,” reminding me of something like Compass Box Orchard House. It feels more open, more playful, though less deep. My lasting impression is that it is nice, smooth, and fresh. I can see why it appeals so widely: approachable, unchallenging, and never offensive. For me, it does not take me far from shore — not the grand adventure of Islay’s smoke or Campbeltown’s brine. Yet it remains a journey worth embarking on, especially for those new to whisky or those who prefer the lighter, straighter side of Scotch.

Nose: Fresh peaches, dried apricots, heather, gentle earthy highland peat, honeyed malt, bonfire smoke by the beach, a hint of sweet fruit candies with wax paper (like a red Starburst), damp cellar, rich butterscotch, dried lingonberry, a touch of old barrel, cardamom, some candied orange peel, green apple and strawberry Jolly Ranchers, fruity jelly beans, fruity waxiness (like a fruity red lip balm), dried coriander, a subtle lavender and thyme note with vanilla bean floating in the background, dried tropical fruits (pineapple and papaya), barnyard earthiness, a calcium and sodium minerality, a little sliced green olive, medium dark chocolate, ripe stone fruit preserves. Palate: Sweet maltiness, a touch of butterscotch, salt water taffy, highland earthy peat with marine elements, some baking spices (cardamom, mace, nutmeg), mild black pepper, mixed red berries (cranberries, raspberries, strawberries), fresh brininess, seaspray off of flint/igneous rocks, a hint of sweet mocha, barrel spice, some wintergreen, Manuka honey. Finish: Sweet highland peat, heather florality, some mixed red berries (raspberries, strawberries), dried cranberries, dried apricots, lightly salty with integrated peat like drinking from a coastal highland stream, lemon drops, bittersweet oak and some mocha/dark chocolate.

It has a honey-yellow color. Exhibits very prominent legs, resembling raindrops descending a window. It visually reminds one of the game Missile Command. The aroma is quite gentle and inviting: caramel, vanilla, marzipan, malted barley, and creme brulee. Banana-flavored bulk candy. Sugarplums with a faint hint of port wine. A citrusy sharpness, reminiscent of a lemon drop, is present. The taste immediately presents as a citric lemon drop candy. It also has butter and rich vanilla cream. Grassy barley and heather/herbs are noticeable. Stewed cinnamon apples, spiced plums, sweetened prunes, and brown sugar are detected. To me, the flavor profile is more akin to an Irish whiskey than a single malt Scotch. The finish offers mild tobacco smoke; fresh coffee grounds and mocha powder. Puckering tannins and remnants of sherry cask influence are present. Vanilla cream, honey syrup, and stewed apples continue. A significant amount of salt rock is present. Clynelish 14 is among the brinier, saltier Scotches. It's buttery and creamy. The smoke is more akin to mild tobacco than intense peat. Tannins, barley, heather, sherry, and a citrusy sharpness are all components.

The aroma presents honey-glazed orange, dusted with salt. A faint ginger note. I detect no peat, unless it's the salty quality. On the palate, all the aforementioned notes are present. I could almost perceive a faint hint of peat, especially at the back, like a wisp of smoke. The flavors are rather full, and the texture is pleasing. It reminds me of Old Pulteney. I acquired this for $57 and consider it a good value at that price, but I will likely seek alternatives once this bottle is finished, as current standard prices appear to be about $15 higher. Update: As the bottle neared its end, my enjoyment increased. It's akin to a more robustly flavored version of Johnnie Walker Green. Increasing the score by a quarter point, and the prevailing price seems more justifiable now.