Great comparison and review. Refreshing to see Diageo price corrections downward. Independent bottlings albiet seeing price increases as well still offer better value comparatively. Like a previous commenter I do try to snag a Talisker each year. The Lagavulins have become less alluring mostly due to price and this years wacky Tequila finish. Cheers 🥃
Nice one Jason, thanks for reviewing this one. Much like you, I cherry pick from the annual releases of this range and try to always at least get a Talisker.
Thanks for the comparison and interesting commentary, Jason. The only Clynelish I've tried is the 14, bought 2.5 years ago for 57 euros, which was then the cheapest price in nz. Unfortunately I got a bottle that's very bland/inexpressive, lacking much fruit, lacking wax, lacking the faint smoke on the aftertaste/empty glass, etc. I've tried leaving the bottle in the hope it'll improve but any change has been very minimal: it's a dud bottle/batch, for which Clynelish is sadly well-known. The prices here today range from 63 to 88 euros. Clynelish 14 has been overpriced in nz for several years, not just now. It used to sell here for ~50 euros when you were getting it for sub-40. Prices for malts in nz are a bit higher than in Europe/the UK, but not all are as much overpriced as that 25%. I recently bought a Clynelish GoT for 65 euros, although it ranges up to 94 euros. I should open it and see if it's any good.
I think my only 14 came from the same batch as yours - meh. Touch of marmalade and very slight waxyness. Still it was only about £38 then. Won't rush back at today's prices.
@@stevelandwonder4760L1020CM006 is the code on my bottle, which means it was bottled 2021-01-20. If one looks at other reviews of that same bottling, WB186624, one finds some people got from it a quite different--and much more positive--experience than I did.🤔🤨
The only Clynelish I ever had was the 14 year old... i enjoyed the thick and waxy quality of it. That was several years ago. A more recent bottling of Clynelish 14 did not do it for me. I was very much disappointed. So it goes...
I picked up a 12 year old at auction (Kruger) bottled in 2008. It is sublime, the waxiness is a weird mouth coating sensation, not comparable with the new 14. However the 14 is the only other Diageo in my stash, for the price (35€) worth having a couple spare. I refuse to buy any Diageo now.
SR23 The Jazz Crescendo is easily my favorite dram. It would appear to me you did not get the essence of this bottle. Like the name suggests it’s a “crescendo”, so you need to add water and let it sit for 30min and constantly come back to it every 10 minutes. You’ll find that it becomes increasingly sweeter and brighter. It will ultimately reach a state where it’s much much fruitier with insane beeswax and tropical fruit notes than the Clynelish 14.
From where I am getting this bottle (~160 USD after the insane tax) it’s still a no brainer buy for me. Easily beating out the 20+ YO drams I have. That been said the 14 YO is incredibly good still, and I 100% enjoyed having them side by side.
Great comparison and review. Refreshing to see Diageo price corrections downward. Independent bottlings albiet seeing price increases as well still offer better value comparatively.
Like a previous commenter I do try to snag a Talisker each year. The Lagavulins have become less alluring mostly due to price and this years wacky Tequila finish.
Cheers 🥃
yep wacky finish
The Clynelish distillery tour is amazing, my uncle lives around the corner from it and took me there. Very immersive experience and lovely staff.
one day I hope to visit clynelish
@@WhiskyJason1such a good tour, I did a review on google
Nice one Jason, thanks for reviewing this one. Much like you, I cherry pick from the annual releases of this range and try to always at least get a Talisker.
thanks
Wow! Thanks for being so honest in your review. Keep it up
but of course
Thanks for the comparison and interesting commentary, Jason. The only Clynelish I've tried is the 14, bought 2.5 years ago for 57 euros, which was then the cheapest price in nz. Unfortunately I got a bottle that's very bland/inexpressive, lacking much fruit, lacking wax, lacking the faint smoke on the aftertaste/empty glass, etc. I've tried leaving the bottle in the hope it'll improve but any change has been very minimal: it's a dud bottle/batch, for which Clynelish is sadly well-known. The prices here today range from 63 to 88 euros. Clynelish 14 has been overpriced in nz for several years, not just now. It used to sell here for ~50 euros when you were getting it for sub-40. Prices for malts in nz are a bit higher than in Europe/the UK, but not all are as much overpriced as that 25%.
I recently bought a Clynelish GoT for 65 euros, although it ranges up to 94 euros. I should open it and see if it's any good.
I think my only 14 came from the same batch as yours - meh. Touch of marmalade and very slight waxyness. Still it was only about £38 then. Won't rush back at today's prices.
@@stevelandwonder4760L1020CM006 is the code on my bottle, which means it was bottled 2021-01-20. If one looks at other reviews of that same bottling, WB186624, one finds some people got from it a quite different--and much more positive--experience than I did.🤔🤨
I would give a different batch a chance
Easy to continue the Diageo ban with current prices....nice reviews as always.
Thanks! 👍
The only Clynelish I ever had was the 14 year old... i enjoyed the thick and waxy quality of it. That was several years ago. A more recent bottling of Clynelish 14 did not do it for me. I was very much disappointed. So it goes...
So it goes
My favourite is the 14 as well, my wife and I both like that a lot after visiting them.
But still not close to being in my top 5
not close
All of the Clynelish products have gone very expensive😭
yep so sad
Clynelish 14 is a decent dram.
yep
The Clynelish Aged 12 Years Special Release 2022 @ 58.5%
thanks
I picked up a 12 year old at auction (Kruger) bottled in 2008. It is sublime, the waxiness is a weird mouth coating sensation, not comparable with the new 14. However the 14 is the only other Diageo in my stash, for the price (35€) worth having a couple spare. I refuse to buy any Diageo now.
I need to look in auction for old standard bottlings
Europe is significantly more free with alcohol than the USA, can’t imagine being able to buy alcohol on eBay.
different history
SR23 The Jazz Crescendo is easily my favorite dram. It would appear to me you did not get the essence of this bottle.
Like the name suggests it’s a “crescendo”, so you need to add water and let it sit for 30min and constantly come back to it every 10 minutes. You’ll find that it becomes increasingly sweeter and brighter. It will ultimately reach a state where it’s much much fruitier with insane beeswax and tropical fruit notes than the Clynelish 14.
From where I am getting this bottle (~160 USD after the insane tax) it’s still a no brainer buy for me. Easily beating out the 20+ YO drams I have.
That been said the 14 YO is incredibly good still, and I 100% enjoyed having them side by side.
thanks for the advice!