We’ve been very lucky to have sampled the Diageo Special Releases from the past three years. And everytime the beautiful packed samples arrive, we speculate about which one will earn the title of our favourite.

When the Clynelish name appears, it automatically rises to the top of our speculative list. Although it didn’t make the cut for our top picks last year, we approached this edition with measured expectations. As is often the case when we do so, we find ourselves pleasantly surprised. And boy, did Clynelish pack a surprise with this one:

This is truly what a Clynelish should offer, in our opinion. The waxiness and sweetness are very well attuned to each other. We didn’t believe this is only a 10yo whisky, it feels more mature. While the €165 price point is steep, the same could be said for the other releases in this collection. If we had to invert our piggy bank to one of these, this Clynelish will undoubtedly be the one.