13/02/2026 Clynelish

Clynelish 15yo 1997/2012 (53.5%, The Whiskyman, Refill Sherry Hogshead): nose: unusually, for this distillery, this expression is on the mute side of the spectrum. There is a faint note of fresh, fruity, but also discreet white wine at play, Riesling or Sancerre, and jasmine that has not bloomed yet. Did I say it is discreet? Even thirtyish minutes of breathing time do not help this become more talkative. The second nose is hardly more loquacious. Perhaps we find pan-seared hazelnut and apple slices, where the juice from the apples coats the hazelnuts. Later yet, it pushes a whiff of dust onto that. Then, out of nowhere, the apple juice from the pan takes a bolder attitude. Dusty apple juice it is. Mouth: it has more to say on the palate. We catch sultanas, honey-glazed grapes, white Port... This is surprisingly sweet, now! Chewing adds nutshells and a drop of Manzanilla. The second sip is still as sweet, yet it is now crunchy apples caramelising in a frying pan rather than syrupy wine. And crunchy it is too! One can almost feel the grit of a Missouri Pippin sanding one's teeth. After the disappointments of December, I was ready to rejoice that this one has not turned soapy (same sample origin), but the last sip gives the impression it could very quickly follow that path too. That, of course is a comment on the container more than on the whisky itself. Finish: dry, which is another surprise, after the sweet mouth, and fruity, with peach slices, not very ripe, sultanas, Medjool dates and, once more, a small amount of fortified white wine. It is warming to a point it could pass as vaguely musk-y, but really, it is mostly fruity. It feels much more balanced at second gulp, where the fruit turns into apple slices and their sweetness matches their acidity. They are no longer crunchy, however, probably softened by all that pan-searing. This turned out to be a juicy number indeed. 7/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)