Clynelish Select Reserve / Special Releases 2014

In 2014, Diageo launched this Clynelish in their Special Releases, but it was not very popular. It was long available. Even today, you can still find it on some shelves. Might be to do with the fact that it’s a NAS whisky with a price tag (then!) of around 400 EUR. Weird, huh? But then, five years ago the NAS debate was still very hot. From a reliable source I learned that this Clynelish is actually created with whisky from over 20 years, with just one cask of 13 years old added for some extra freshness. I can understand why it was then released without age statement but with a fancy name instead.

Praise the Lord! This is an outstanding nose! Clynelish at the top of its game with crispy Granny Smith apples, acacia honey, sweet peach and vanilla. Yoghurt with pineapple. Lime juice and zest of the same fruit. Not so much waxy as fatty. Famer’s butter. Subtle, elegant, grand. Sexy!

The arrival is wonderfully creamy and silky soft despite the high strength. Sure, it has a spicy edge, but that is immediately softened by some beeswax, mineral notes and sweet fruit like peach, pineapple, apples and mandarin. There is even a hint of overripe banana. Somewhat less subtle and elegant than the nose, but grand and sexy still. This is a top dram.

The finish is long, mildly spicy and remains deliciously sweet.

I am not a religious man, but this is divine. Thanks for the sample, Tasmanian Devil (you know who you are)! By the way: this is my 85th encounter with this Highlander. Today a bottle will set you back between 450 and 600 EUR. To be honest, that’s a bit (a lot) much.

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