Clynelish

Clynelish stands just outside the village of Brora on the east coast of Sutherland, in the northern Highlands. The first distillery here dated from 1819. In the late 1960s a new, larger distillery was built next to it and took the Clynelish name, while the original buildings were later renamed Brora. Today Clynelish belongs to Diageo.

The spirit is known above all for its waxy texture, often described alongside notes of honey, orchard fruit and a light coastal, mineral edge. The waxiness is linked to the way the distillery handles its feints receivers, where an oily residue builds up over time. Much of the production goes into blends, and Clynelish is closely associated with Johnnie Walker.

The official core bottling is the 14 Year Old, which buyers meet in several generations over the years. Older and rarer official releases appear from time to time, including aged expressions such as a 24 Year Old and the annual Diageo Special Releases, among them the 18 year old Waxen Sun from 2025.

Clynelish is a favourite of independent bottlers, and a large share of the bottles on the market come from them. Our catalogue lists casks from Signatory Vintage, Gordon & MacPhail (including Connoisseurs Choice), Douglas Laing, Hunter Laing, Duncan Taylor, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Adelphi and That Boutique-y Whisky Company, as well as Cooper's Choice and Dun Bheagan releases. These range from young single casks to vintages from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.