Clynelish 14 Year

Before even getting into this dram the first thing I’m noticing is the legs, which I don’t usually pay attention to but from first swirl this looks like it might be good. The nose is firmly in highland territory, with bold scents of honey, malted grain, and just a hint of fruity sweetness in the background. While this is not coloring outside of any lines, the other adjective that comes to mind is creamy. The whole thing is so smooth and rounded; more so then some comparable pours. The palate is similar in that texture, soft and sweet up front with that bright honey, then the expected barely comes in and makes itself known for a good length of time. Then there is an earthy note that is probably supposed to be peat, but it’s so mild I can barely find it. Just when I think I’ve separated it from the malt, a splash of baking spice and oak take over and take me to the finish line. Finish is medium long, hanging out in the back of the throat with some warm ethanol, a touch of spice and then some smoke, almost as if it knew I was going to complain about this not being peaty/smoky enough. Overall this whisky smells & tastes like quality. It didn’t take me off any beaten paths, but it ticks every box for a solid, delicious pour of scotch.

A nice touch of honey mingles with floral notes and proceeds into a light touch of faint citrus ending on notes of apple and peat smoke.

Sweet. Red apple. Flat peak. Limited after taste

More peat and smoke than Dalwhinnie 15 less than Oban 14. Sherry cask influence is much less than Dalwhinnie 15. Nose is honey, pear, peat sour note and smoke, rich malt smell, vanilla, wildflower, and heather light sherry oak in the back. The longer you nose it the more the sherry fruit and wood notes do come out. It even smells thick and dense in flavor. Taste is honey, heather/floral, and fruit both the pear and dark sherry fruits that leap out of the whisky. Oils that coat the mouth, bringing the peat note and very light smoke out with it. The vanilla cream rounds out the palate with a swelling of black pepper that kicks then subsides into a sweet and oily wood note. Finish is medium with the pear fruit and honey sweetness along with the sweet oak wood note hanging around with hints of smoke and charred wood. If the price was in the 50's or money was no object this would be a daily drinker and in contention with Oban 14 for if I could only drink one highland forever.

Nose: floral bouquet, strawberries, peaches, wonderfully fresh and tasty. Palate: splendid confirmation of what is felt on the nose. Final: short but tasty like the rest. A wonderful whiskey, which perhaps I would prefer to 43 * given its structure. 4.5 rating ______________________________________________ Naso: bouquet floreale, fragole, pesche, meravigliosamente fresco e saporito. Palato: splendida conferma di quanto avvertito all’olfatto. Finale: breve ma saporito come il resto. Un whisky meraviglioso, che forse preferirei a 43* vista la sua struttura. Voto 4,5

Great highland. A fair amount of sweetness complemented by a light coastal smokiness. A twinge of spice and fruitiness on the back end

Tropical fruit with a coating of smoke on the finish. Quite lovely