
September 21, 2021

Clynelishes, candles and kittens

I agree that sounds a bit like a list of accessories for a voodoo mass, but sadly, the name Clynelish too is disappearing from the indies' labels, which can only, on the long run, generate bad-will and resentment towards the owners. Mind you, the terms 'single malt' make only sense when you know about said 'single malt' and I have to say it's not really surprising that the best IBs are starting to bottle 'foreign' whiskies that are telling their names instead of former-first-tier Scotch malts that wouldn't. In any case, between an indie, say Smögen and a Secret Islay, I know where my heart lies. But this is Clynelish… Warning, I'm a fan of Clynelish (that's news, S.)

Equinox & Solstice 10 yo 2010/2021 'Candlekitty' (48.5%, Decadent Drinks, summer edition, first fill barrels, 973 bottles)

Equinoxes and solstices really seem to be a big thing to our friends in the north of Europe, Scandinavia, Scotland… Which is clearly understandable! To us who are more in the middle, it's rather just something that's mentioned in our datebooks and in poems. Colour: white wine. Nose: I would like to report that there's been a mistake here and that they've probably disgorged some rare casks of 'Old' Clynelish instead of fresh ones. At least, that's what I'm gathering from all this soot, metal polish, iron fillings, mutton fat or engine grease. Having said that, some lighter, fruitier notes do manage to come through later on, together with just vanilla, barley syrup and paraffin. Mouth: but really, Old Clynelish! Complete with brine, ashes, more soot, minerals, touches of copper polish, sucking old coins (never do that), chalk, limes, marrow, ham fat (Spanish)… And this time, no vanilla in the way, it would just stay the same eternally. Well, I suppose. Finish: rather long and really very salty. Comments: this resemblance is very troubling, I don't know what happened, I do not quite recognise modern Clynelish. Maybe I'm dead and was resurrected in 1970? Let's check if they have the Doors on the radio… Please take my score as one by a troubled man.
SGP:363 - 90 points.

Kittenish 20 yo 2000/2021 (55.2%, The Whisky Blues and Whisky Wave, hogshead, cask #1424, 324 bottles)

With a series named like that I had thought there was a trumpet on the label but I looked closer and that's actually a still (how very interesting, S.!) Colour: light gold. Nose: modern Clynelish this time, to the brim, with extra-tart apples and peelings, rhubarb, plasticine and citrons. A little mercurochrome too, earth, the tiniest touches of coconut. A very obvious nose, no questions to be asked, brilliant whisky. We could almost leave it at that. With water: these muddy touches, lambswool, plasticine, chalk and just a touch of coconut once again. The wood was not inactive. Mouth (neat): waxes, citrons, grapefruits, plasticine, a little iodine, lemon tarte, macaroons, a little chalk… Absolutely excellent. With water: anchovies coming out! Lovely maritime fatness. Finish: long, really very fat, almost syrupy as far as the texture's concerned. Quite some salt in the aftertaste. Comments: so far away and so close. In a way, this reminds me of the early 1970s Brora vs. Clynelish situation, the best ever against the best ever. Mindboggling.
SGP:562 - 90 points.

Kittenish 25 yo 1996/2021 (49.5%, The Whisky Blues and Whisky Land, hogshead, cask #7, 322 bottles)

Colour: light gold. Nose: tighter, more austere, more on chalk, limestone, gunflints, also patchouli and lime blossom, vetiver for sure, green oranges… This is a different era at Clynelish, perhaps a little less 'focused' but also rather more complex, more medicinal as well, with more iodine, bandages, a little creosote. In fact we're rather closer to the 2010 than to the 2000. Could also be that this cask was about to fractalize (you know, main aromas giving birth to several smaller aromas, which in turn…) Mouth: the most limey, citric, tart, blade-y and just vertical. I would tend to love this tyle too. In fact, at this age and unless sherried, these vintages would tend to start to resemble 1960s Laphroaigs. No, really, sublime citrus plus seawater. Finish: medium, superbly salty and citrusy. Quite some wax too and perhaps a touch of white sugar in the aftertaste. No worries. Comments: with the coastalness of Clynelish becoming clear, I say this is grand whisky. Add twenty years of bottle aging and this will be a big hit in our MetaWorld to come.
SGP:661 - 91 points.

Good, such an incredible trio just did the job, no need to go any further unless, just for sake of whisky research…

Ainslie's Royal Edinburgh (86.8 US proof, Ainslie & Heilbron, blend, Hulse Import San Francisco, USA, spring cap, +/-1960)

Just in case you wouldn't be in the know, Ainslie & Heilbron were the proprietors and license holders for Clynelish Distillery. This is a spring cap bottle that I'm opening for the first time, so while the level is super-high, as almost always with spring caps, we have to make sure that no metal contaminations happened. In short, that the liquid remained crystal clear and not green/brown/bronze. Colour: deep bright gold (success!) Nose: no nails broken while opening this one, but we find some whiffs of baked eggplants and artichokes, not unseen in Royal Edinburgh having said that. Notes of old tools, coins, engine oils, old silverware, then fermenting pineapples and just something 'sulphury but it is not sulphur'. Right, the jury's still out, I wouldn't say I'm able to detect Old Clynelish in there, neither am I finding any markers of Glenury Royal or Coleburn. I'm bragging, not sure I could, anyway. Mouth: really a strange blend while several other Royal Edinburghs I could try, even some old pre-black label ones, had been a bit like this, unlikely, a little cardboardy… Having said that the very old ones were stellar (pre-war). What's more this one seem to have some sugar, almost as if it had been some kind of liqueur. In short, I should have kept it closed, forever. Finish: medium, with once again notes of fermenting pineapples, even pineapple liqueur… What a strange old blended Scotch, you would almost believe this was rum. Comments: it has its charms but that's mostly self-motivation. Some other blends by A&H have always been way better, such as Ainslie's, Real McTavish, Glen Brora of course, and even King's Legend. And so older Royal Edinburghs. Oh there…
SGP:641 – 65 points.

Check the index of all Clynelish we've tasted so far