Clynelish 14 Year Old: The Jewel of the Highlands, Guarded by a Wildcat

2026.10.05

In short: Clynelish 14 Year Old is famous for its “waxy,” creamy texture and balance of honey, fruit, spice and sea air. I explain the Scottish wildcat on its label, my quiet visit to the distillery in Brora, and its role in Johnnie Walker.

Waxy?!

Rising from the glass is a sweet, rich aroma like honey.

Layered on top are a sea-salt aroma and a pear-like fruitiness, creating an indescribable complexity.

On the palate, a creamy, wax-like texture: this is Clynelish’s greatest hallmark.

This unique mouthfeel, described as “waxy,” is something you rarely find in other whiskies.

A silky smoothness, and a somehow sensual viscosity.

It is sometimes praised as “a masterpiece among masterpieces, containing every element of Scotch whisky,” and that is exactly right.

Sweetness, fruitiness, spice and sea air: none of them sticks out; they come together in perfect balance.

This is why malt enthusiasts love Clynelish.

The Story of the Wildcat

Look closely at the Clynelish label and you’ll see a cat.

You might think, “A cat on a whisky?” But it is the Scottish Wildcat, a wild cat also known as the “Highland Tiger.”

It is a real wild animal that once roamed this northern Highland region.

There is a proper reason this wildcat appears on the label.

Clynelish Distillery was founded in 1819 by the Duke of Sutherland (the Marquess of Stafford at the time of founding).

And the secondary crest of the Duke’s family was precisely this wildcat.

In other words, the face of the founder’s family became the symbol of the distillery itself.

As for why the Duke’s family chose the wildcat for its crest: wildcats actually lived in this land, and the family was drawn to their wild nobility and untameable spirit.

It must have been a symbol of Highland pride.

Today, however, this wildcat is on the brink of extinction.

It is said that only around 35 remain in the wild.

Interbreeding with domestic cats has been steadily eroding the pure breed, and they survive only quietly, deep in remote mountains.

When I actually visited the distillery, there was a large wildcat sign near the entrance.

It had a commanding presence, as if to say, “I’m the one guarding this place.”

Even as an endangered species, it still reigns as the guardian of Clynelish.

For 200 years, the wildcat has kept watching over this distillery, unchanged.

When you think of that, the glass you pour feels just a little more special.

A Quiet Village Called Brora

The distillery stands in Brora, a small village in Sutherland in the north of Scotland.

It is a truly quiet place.

When I actually visited, there was surprisingly nobody around.

Since it is a brand popular with malt enthusiasts in Japan, I assumed it would be bustling with tourists, but I practically had the place to myself (lol). (At the time, Glen Grant, which was barely a major name in Japan, was swarming with tourists.)

I was grateful to be able to tour at my leisure, and it reminded me again how completely different the popular brands are from country to country.

A quiet distillery, and the wildcat sign standing at the entrance.

Hidden deep in the remote Highlands, this place felt like the very territory of the wild Highland cat.

The Johnnie Walker Secret

In fact, about 95% of the spirit made at Clynelish is used for blends.

Its destination is Johnnie Walker, the most widely drunk Scotch whisky in the world.

Clynelish is one of the key whiskies behind Johnnie Walker’s “mellow, matured” character.

This means that Clynelish 14 Year Old, which we can enjoy as a single malt, is only about 5% of the total.

It is precisely because it is so rare that it is loved as a connoisseur’s choice.

Enjoying Clynelish at the Bar

My recommendation: enjoy it neat, with our bar chocolate “Butterscotch.”

First, bring your nose to the glass and enjoy the aroma of honey. Then take a sip.

The waxy texture glides across your tongue, and fruitiness and spice arrive in turn.

Then a bite of chocolate. The pairing with Clynelish in your mouth makes your time at the bar something special.

Clynelish 14 Year Old. The jewel of the Highlands, guarded by the wildcat.

Please come and enjoy it at Bar Little Happiness in Hiroshima.

Every encounter is meant to be. Welcome to the world of Rum&Whisky.

Bar Little Happiness

Mika Tanimoto

---