Penny for Your Thoughts - Clynelish 14, Ballechin 10
At Whisky Club 28/10, we had about 10 minutes and used them to enjoy a scotch each. Here are my thoughts on these two Highland single malts.
Clynelish 14 (46% ABV) - Clynelish is not a well-known name here in the U.S., but it's checks off a lot of the boxes that one wants to see: age statement, respectably long history, an ABV that's above the bare minimum, and a reasonable price tag of around $60-65 a bottle. Clynelish's signature is supposed to be a slightly waxy texture and, perhaps because of the power of suggestion, I did notice that while drinking it. I'm not sure if that's a product of the distillery's stills or whether it's just a function of its aging — having spent 14 years in the barrel, this whisky should have a respectable tannin base that may produce that teethcoating, drying effect. On the nose, this is a very floral scotch, which brings to mind images of wildflowers blooming in the glens of the Scottish highlands. The palate is a mix of honey, some melon, and floral overtones. I've seen Clynelish described as a lightly peated malt but, to be honest, I didn't get that at all. The finish is drying, like a white wine, and that waxy characteristic remains. B
Ballechin 10 (46%) - For a long time, Edradour was the smallest distillery in Scotland. Even to this day, I believe it remains a three-man operation. The only reason it lost the title of the smallest distillery is because there are a few new startups there, and I wonder whether it's worth giving them the title before they really establish themselves in the market. Right now, it's safe to say that Edradour remains the smallest fully operational and established Scottish distillery. Ballechin is its more heavily peated line, whereas the distillery releases unpeated scotches under the Edradour name (kind of like how Tobermory has the unpeated Tobermory and the peated Ledaig). Ballechin's peatiness is not like Islay peatiness or even Talisker peatiness. It reminds me in some ways of Port Charlotte, although with a better nose, best described as an intense mixture of leather and earthy funk. It is not a smoke-like scent, it's oilier and more organic. The palate is dominated by that oily, earthy, almost savory note as well, like a grilled portobello with a mildly sweet glaze. The finish is medium in length and, again, perhaps because I'm sensitive to earthiness, I don't recall many notes other than that funky, alluvial flavor. This is not a particularly sweet whisky, so could be an interesting pick for someone who enjoys Octomore but is overwhelmed by the ABV or peat level of that strange dram. I'm going to give it a decent rating because I found it quite unique and am glad I tried it, but Ballechin would not be a daily dram for me. B