Almost a full year has slipped by since the last Clynelish review, so the time has come to revisit the distillery with a fresh trio. This line‑up brings together three Clynelish from Hunter Laing and Signatory Vintage, offering a neat snapshot across ages and cask approaches. The session opens with the youngster, a 2009 bottled by Hunter Laing, before moving on to compare two 1996 vintages from Signatory, drawn in 2016 and 2023, to show how extra years and different casks reshaped this famously waxy Highlander.
Clynelish 2009 Hunter Laing The Old Malt Cask (2025) Review
We start with a Clynelish distilled in July 2009 and bottled by Hunter Laing in April 2025 in their Old Malt Cask collection. It spent 15 years in a single refill hogshead numbered DL21692. The cask yielded 320 bottles filled at 50% ABV, without chill filtration nor added colour. This is widely available in Germany, from €109.
Colour:
Pale gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with honeyed lemons and apricots, leading into scented candle wax. Vanilla pudding and sour apples emerge, alongside melon, hints of pineapple and canned peaches, giving a fruity depth. Peppermint, dry grass and a touch of ginger round it out.
With water: Water softens the edges and amplifies fruity layers. Honey gains prominence, and peaches brighten alongside clearer pineapple. Citrus lifts further, while dry grass recedes into the background.
Palate:
Neat: The palate delivers sweet honey and melon upfront, with pineapple, citrus, and canned peaches shining brightly. Hay and dry wood provide texture, while peppermint, ginger, and subtle spices build warmth. The refill cask lets Clynelish‘’’s waxy, fruity spirit take centre stage without overwhelming oak.
With water: The palate turns creamier as waxiness blooms. Honey flows more freely with peaches. Citrus sharpens without bite, and spice mellows to gentle warmth. Overall texture enhances drinkability while preserving the Highland elegance.
Finish:
The finish runs a medium length, with peppermint dominating alongside a touch of chili and abundant citrus and peaches. Light wood notes fade slowly, leaving a clean, spicy trail.
Comments:
This Clynelish 2009 offers a wonderfully bright profile. The refill hogshead allows the spirit to shine, showcasing Clynelish’s signature waxiness alongside vibrant summer fruits. At 50% ABV, it drinks easily and with real pleasure.
Rating: 7/10
Clynelish 1996 Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection (2016) Review
Next, we have the first of our today’s two Clynelish 1996 from Signatory Vintage. We start with one distilled on the 27th of June 1996, and bottled on the 17th of February 2016. It matured for 19 years in two sister hogsheads, numbered #6399 and #6400. It was then reduced to 46%, without chill filtration nor colouring, to be bottled in Signatory’s The Un-chillfiltered Collection. This bottling is sold out, as several sister casks bottlings from the same period.
Colour:
Amber.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with citrus fruits, a little mustiness and a touch of salt, developing vanilla, herbs, and slightly floral notes. Sweetness builds as caramel joins, with pleasant citrus, wild herbs, and vanilla unfolding further. After time in the glass, the nose shows lovely minerality.
Palate:
Neat: The palate bursts with oily mouthfeel and a waxy texture. First is a peppery arrival, featuring vanilla, honey, and soft fruits. The hogsheads also bring a few dark fruits, honey, and light spices, balancing the Clynelish character without overtaking it.
Finish:
The finish stretches beautifully long, intensely waxy and red fruity, with chocolate emerging after each sip.
Comments:
This first Clynelish 1996 from Signatory delivers another excellent dram. It offers a slightly different perspective than the Hunter Laing while still showcasing the Clynelish distillate. Signatory released it at about €50 a bottle, making it excellent value. A shame the secondary market asks for four times the initial price, now.
Rating: 7/10
Clynelish 1996 Signatory Vintage Symington’s Choice (2023) Review
We end this Clynelish session with another 1996 bottled by Signatory Vintage. This one was distilled on the 11th of December 1996, and bottled on the 30th of October 2023. It matured for 26 years in an Oloroso Sherry Butt, number #11,383, before Signatory bottled it in their Symington’s Choice collection. The cask yielded 567 bottles filled at cask strength (53.4% ABV), without chill filtration nor added colour. Still available, but at a hefty price: from €700 in the Netherlands to €750 in Germany.
Colour:
Brown sherry.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with a sophisticated blend of sweet and salty notes, evoking burnt caramel brittle and dried fruit jam. Christmas spices dominate – gingerbread, black and Sichuan pepper – alongside fresh and cooked dark fruits like plums and cherries. Clynelish‘’’s waxy beeswax, paraffin, and orchard fruit peek through after aeration, with polished oak and vanilla cake adding elegance.
With water: Water clarifies the spices and amplifies waxy Clynelish notes. Dark fruits brighten, while caramel brittle softens into a creamier sweetness.
Palate:
Neat: The palate mirrors the nose with leather, dark fruits, and sherry sweetness taking centre stage, complemented by the trademark waxy texture and spice. Thick sherry wax carries rich red fruits (plums, cherries, berries), preserved sweets, and moist old oak. Balance shines as Clynelish distillate cuts through the Oloroso intensity, delivering heavy fruit density and complexity.
With water: The palate gains creaminess, softening spice and letting fruits bloom. Wax integrates smoothly with leather and sherry depth.
Finish:
The finish stretches long and complex, fading from sherry spice to pure Clynelish wax, vanilla, and lingering fruits.
Comments:
This second Clynelish 1996 – the third dram today – stands as a completely different beast. Heavy sherry influence, yet Clynelish markers shine through clearly. The distillate refuses to let the cask overtake it, creating a dangerously good combination.
Rating: 8/10
Thanks Hartmut! Pictures courtesy of Whiskybase, as usual.