After the sherry finished Clynelish 12 Years of last year, Diageo is presenting a naked Clynelish 10 Year Old as part of the 2023 Special Releases.
It is matured in first-fill bourbon casks. This usually means a lot of fruity notes and plenty of room for the typical waxiness. I have to admit I wasn’t against the previous profile (although a little un-classic) but this could definitely be more typical.
Clynelish 10 yo (57,5%, OB Special Releases 2023, first-fill bourbon casks)
Nose: a very rounded profile on honeyed cereals, vanilla and the expected candle wax. Then oranges, bananas, charred pineapple and lemon candy appear, alongside a slightly dusty hint of wood and mild pepper. A little grape sweetness and honey, as well as a hint of beach sand and fresh mint. Nice and clean.
Mouth: lemons, rhubarb, blood orange and small berries. Apple juice and quite some saltiness. Then a gentle waxiness and chalky notes appear, with salted caramel and flashes of bright nectarines and pineapple, getting slightly tropical even. Garden herbs and walnuts in the end, balancing austerity with rounder fruitiness.
Finish: medium length, quite spicy, with citrus fruits in the background.
A textbook Clynelish that offers all the expected markers. Simply very good. We tried a couple of similar independent bottlings a while ago and this is playing in the same ballpark. Still available from Tyndrum Whisky or The Whisky Exchange for instance. The quality is there, but this is really expensive for a 10 year-old. Prices seem to differ significantly so be sure to look around.