The name and the history of Clynelish are indissociable from the neighbour distillery, Brora. The Brora distillery has been named Clynelish for decades before closing in 1983. The Clynelish distillery faces the old one. Settled in a rural setting with a still house with great windows looking to the sea, the distillery is the exact replica of the modern Islay distillery, Caol Ila. Just 1% of the production is marketed as single malt, the remaining part being used in Johnnie Walker Gold Label blend.


Smell : malty, great spread of aromas from rich honey and malted barley. Floral and spicy. Highland Park, anyone ?


Taste : screams of malt. Lots of caramel and candy taste. Again floral, but with a sharp peppery aftertaste. Complex and challenging without ever losing its whisky character.


Oh yeah, before I forget : Clynelish is part of the Classic Malts concern of Diageo. If you're interested in whisky, I strongly advise you to subscribe to the Friends of the Classic Malts. You will receive a three monthly magazine called 'The Quaich', filled with well-written stories about your favorite (Diageo based) malts.