Clynelish 12 Year
55.3% ABV Highland Hogshead
$130.00 | Pre Order Available
Price on arrival $145.00 You save $15.00 (10%)
Estimated Import Arrival May 15, 2026

This is an estimated arrival timeline. Timing can shift due to carrier schedules, port congestion, customs, or warehouse receiving.

FINN THOMSON WHISKY CLYNELISH 12 YEAR OLD, REFILL HOGSHEAD

Clynelish as it should be seen

About Finn Thomson Whisky

Finn Thomson is the ninth generation of Scotland's oldest whisky family. The Thomson name traces back to the 1770s through Perthshire, where Peter Thomson Ltd built the beloved Beneagles blended whisky using casks from Longmorn, Clynelish, North British, and other lesser-known workhorses.

Finn Thomson Whisky continues that tradition as an independent single cask bottler. Every release is hand-selected, bottled at cask strength, non-chill filtered, with natural colour. Eye on the past. Vision for the future.

Region Highland Distillery Clynelish Age 12 years ABV 55.3% Cask Refill Hogshead Outturn 277 bottles

A 12 year old Clynelish in a refill hogshead. No loud cask, no finish. Just the distillery character, on full display.

Distilled September 2013. Bottled January 2026. Single cask at cask strength 55.3%, non-chill filtered, natural colour. 277 bottles. Imported exclusively by The Whiskey Lab.

After twelve years in a refill cask, there is nowhere for the whisky to hide. What remains is pure Clynelish. Finn Thomson

Distillery profile, Clynelish

  • Founded in 1967 on the site of the original Clynelish distillery (now Brora) in Brora, Sutherland, on the north-eastern coast of Scotland.
  • Best known for its unmistakable waxy texture, built through long fermentation, cloudy worts, and a distillation style that carries heavier compounds into the spirit cut.
  • Clynelish's signature is not sweetness or smoke but weight, grip, and persistence. The waxy mouthfeel is something no other distillery quite replicates.
  • A key component of many classic blended whiskies, including the Thomson family's own Beneagles.

The story of this cask

This cask was selected because it shows Clynelish exactly as it should be seen. After twelve years in a refill cask, there is nowhere for the whisky to hide. The influence of oak is deliberately minimal, allowing the distillery character to take centre stage. What remains is pure Clynelish.

That matters, because Clynelish is genuinely unique. Its unmistakable waxy texture, built through long fermentation, cloudy worts, and a distillation style that carries heavier compounds into the spirit cut, is something no other distillery quite replicates. These waxy esters give weight, grip, and persistence rather than obvious sweetness or spice, and they reward time and attention in the glass.

This release is also personal. Clynelish was a key component of my grandfather's blended whisky, Beneagles, and its character helped define that style. We still hold a small number of casks from his era, maturing quietly and waiting for the right moment.

This twelve-year-old bottling is an early statement of intent: a clear, honest example of a distillery I value deeply.

Tasting notes
Nose
Subtle at first, then expansive. Beeswax and candle wax, the classic Clynelish calling card. Poached pear, honey, and lemon oil follow, with a touch of sea salt and soft cereal. Minimal oak interference lets the distillate breathe.
Palate
Weight and grip. That signature waxy texture coats the mouth, carrying honey, orchard fruit, and a flicker of mineral salt. Mid-palate develops white pepper and a subtle coastal note. Not sweet, not spicy, but profoundly textured. 55.3% ABV adds intensity without masking the character.
Finish
Long, dry, and persistent. The wax lingers well past a minute, with a quiet fade of honey, salt, and barley. A finish that stays with you rather than shouts, showing exactly why Clynelish is so prized by blenders.
Specification Details
Brand Finn Thomson Whisky
Whisky style Single malt Scotch whisky
Region Highland
Distillery Clynelish
Age 12 years
ABV 55.3%
Volume 700 ml
Cask Refill Hogshead
Distillation date 18 September 2013
Bottling date 14 January 2026
Cask number 322265
Outturn 277 bottles
Cask strength Yes
Non-chill filtered Yes
Natural colour Yes