Whisky: Clynelish 26 Year (1993) SMWS 26.151 “Fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers”

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 47.3%

Cask: Refill Bourbon Barrel

Age: 26 Years (Distilled 22 Oct. 1993)

Nose: Gardenias and plumeria, paraffin wax, melon, mellow earth, stone, hints of moss, more florals and earth.

Palate: Full-bodied, rich, waxy, and somehow delicate; earthy, floral, wood, matcha, melon, coconut, walnut, subtle moss and stone, menthol and dried grass toward the end.

Finish: Incredibly long with melon, wax, walnut, and sandalwood.

Score: 9

Mental Image: The Secret Garden

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was floral, waxy, and earthy, with gardenias and plumeria scattered across the ground, paraffin wax and melon recalled old-fashioned candies, while a mellow earthy quality led me deeper into the garden with dank wood chips and rosemary. Stone and hints of moss reminded me of the bird bath that sat in our yard when I was a child. Subtle notions of Lilly of the Valley, cut roses, sandstone, and compost. The mouthfeel was initially light and delicate, but as the whisky spread across the palate, it grew richer and more full-bodied as a lovely waxiness coated my mouth. The flavors were all over the map as the dram pressed ahead on a nostalgic hike through a community garden. Earthy and dank with occasional florals, rosewood, sandalwood, and lacquered antiques of all kinds appeared with melon, matcha, and coconut candies. Walnuts and pecans tumbled across the palate as the flavors intensified with a stroll along a garden pond with moss, stone, dried grass, more florals, and hints of menthol. The finish was incredibly long with melon candies, matcha, wax, walnut, and sandalwood.

Sublime and divine. I could never quite identify an intriguing wood oil note that seemed to run throughout and crescendoed halfway through each sip; it was something like walnut or sandalwood. Though it remained mysterious, it brought back memories of taking pictures in a museum or civic gardens in high school. It was like a field trip with a guide pointing out the French-inspired geometric gardens, the teeming koi pond and pagoda for tea ceremonies, and the trees transplanted lovingly by an arborist a century ago— a collection of beautiful nature intended to mirror the art inside the museum.

Overall, an unforgettable whisky that could just as easily score a 10, but I am a capricious creature, so a 9 will have to do. This was the kind of whisky that ruins a distillery for you because how could it ever be this good again?

Weekly Theme: Clynelish

Imagine there was a distillery called Clynelish, and then a new distillery was built next door and then also called Clynelish. That was precisely what happened in 1967 with Clynelish B opened next to Clynelish A, sometimes referred to as Old Clynelish and New Clynelish. The confusing situation did not last for long as Old Clynelish was mothballed in 1968 and then reopened to at least a limited extent in 1969 under the name Brora, which locals had long used to refer to the old distillery. So Clynelish, or the distillery we know as Clynelish today, was the new kid on the block who took over the name of the old distillery.

The distillery ranks right in the top 25 largest distilleries in Scotland by theoretical capacity. It might very well be getting close to producing 4.8 million liters annually, as the distillery currently operates seven days a week. Single malts from Clynelish remain popular and well-regarded for their crisp citrus and waxy elements; the distillery is also a key ingredient for Diageo’s blending team and forms a central part of the Johnnie Walker range. Not only is the distillery’s malt in high demand, but it also has an impressive and modern visitor’s center for those faithful who come on a pilgrimage.