Review: Game of Thrones House Tyrell – Clynelish Reserve
The fifth expression under review from the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection is Game of Thrones House Tyrell – Clynelish Reserve, an NAS (No Age Statement) single malt Scotch whisky from the Clynelish distillery, located in the Highland region of Scotland.
Game of Thrones House Tyrell – Clynelish Reserve Specifications:
- Spirit: Scotch.
- Classification: Single Malt.
- Region: Highland.
- Age: NAS (No Age Statement).
- ABV: 51.2% (102.4 Proof).
- Cask Type: Matured in a combination of refill and American oak ex-wine treated casks.
- NCF (Non-Chill Filtered)? Yes.
- Natural Color? No.
- Price: $50.99 for 750 mL.
Tasting Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Waxy. Fruit forward with aromas of red apples, mango, papaya, and red grapes, followed by notes of allspice, milk chocolate, and oak.
- Palate: Creamy, waxy mouthfeel. It begins with an explosion of fruit – baked red apples, green apples, mango, papaya, lychee, strawberry, and red grapes, followed by hard lemon candies and assorted spices – allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. There’s a hint of milk chocolate and a light but pleasant oak influence.
- Finish: Short to medium length and slightly bitter. The orchard and tropical fruit notes fade first, allowing the lemon, spice, and milk chocolate notes from the tail end of the palate to take over before it all fades away, leaving you wanting more.
I have a few more Game of Thrones single malts to review, but I’ve already tasted through all of them and I’ll tell you right now that the Clynelish Reserve is easily my favorite unpeated expression among the bunch. The aromas on the nose carry on through the palate and to the finish, delivering a pleasant experience rich with fruit and spice notes. My only complaints are with the finish – it’s shorter than I would like and lacks the balance of the nose and palate, with the fruit notes fading quickly and the bitter lemon note taking over. That being said, this is still a lovely single malt and a great value at under $60, should you still be able to find a bottle floating around.
Rating: B- (80–82%).
A Second Opinion:
My cousin Jayson and I frequently participate in bottle splits and share samples of new releases. When possible, I’ll share his tasting notes alongside mine.
Jayson’s Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Fruity with some mentholy farmy notes, like cut lawn. Sweet.
- Palate: More fruit, ripe pears. Sweet. Has a little heat. Takes a couple drops of water and opens up nicely, revealing more fruit, honey, some of that Clynelish waxiness, and a little citrus zest at the back.
- Finish: Medium. Carries the fruitiness and lemony note and adds some Cinnamon Toast Crunch and a slight note of wood chips.
While this was one of my favorites of the Game of Thrones single malts reviewed so far, I wish it had a little more body to it. It comes across as younger than the Clynelish 14 Year Old, but slightly more complex thanks to the higher bottling proof. It just lacks that custard creaminess of more mature Clynelish.
Jayson’s Rating: B- (80–82%).