Clynelish distillery information
The Clynelish distillery was established in 1967 in the Scottish coastal town of Brora by Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. (SMD). It was built across the road from the older distillery of the same name. The year after Clynelish opened, the original distillery was renamed Clynelish 1, and later, to avoid confusion, Brora. The new distillery was essentially a modernised version of the original, using stills shaped after the old ones and producing a similar style of whisky to Brora, albeit less peaty.
In 1987, the distillery was transferred to United Distillers, who in turn were acquired by Diageo in 1998. Two additional washbacks were installed in 2008, allowing production to run seven days a week. In 2014, Diageo announced a plan to add a mashtun, ten more washbacks, and six new stills, effectively doubling capacity. That plan was postponed, and instead a year-long refurbishment completed in June 2017 modernised the still room and washbacks without the full doubling originally proposed.
Clynelish and Brora now sit side by side as one of Scotland’s more unusual sister-distillery pairings: Clynelish makes the cleaner, waxier spirit that goes largely into Johnnie Walker blends, while Brora, silent between 1983 and its 2021 reopening, now produces its own small-batch, more heavily peated single malt just across the road. Clynelish is part of the Highland whisky region.
Note: Diageo’s Clynelish visitor centre closed to the public on 13 March 2026 (tours ended 28 February) as part of a wider cost-cutting review. Production is unaffected.
Clynelish whiskies
Clynelish, like it’s older brother, produces a oily textured whisky, somehow reminding of wax in your mouth. Normally, during the production of whisky, residue (sludge) will build up in the feints and foreshots receivers in the distillery. This is normally cleared during the silent period of the year. However, in Clynelish, the sludge (which is completely natural and harmless) is left in the tanks, and this lends the mouth-coating waxiness to the whisky. Most of the spirit produced is used in blends (particularly Johnnie Walker). In the past, official bottlings were hard to find. Since adding Clynelish to the Classic Malts, though, there are some bottles readily available:- 14 Years Old, Flora and Fauna, bottled around the year 2000
- 14 Years Old (First available in 2003, replacing the Flora and Fauna)
- Distillers Edition (finished in Olorosso Sherry casks)
- Distillery Only Bottle (only available at the distillery itself)
Distillery info:
Detail |
Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Clynelish |
| Region | Highland |
| Country | Scotland |
| Logo |  |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Water source | Clynemilton burn |
| Malting floor | No |
| Owned by | Diageo |
| Address | Clynelish Distillery Clynelish Rd Brora, Highlands and Islands KW9 6LR United Kingdom +44 (0) 1408 623000 |
| Visitor centre | No |
| Website | https://www.malts.com/en/distilleries/clynelish |
| Community | Malts Club |
| Map |
Distillery Setup:
Component |
Capacity |
Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Mash tun | 12.5 tonnes | 1 (Stainless Steel) |
| Washback | 58,600 litres | 10 (Larch) |
| Wash still | 17,000 litres | 3 |
| Spirit Still | 20,000 litres | 3 |
| Expected yearly output in LPA (Litres of pure alcohol) | 4,500,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clynelish was built in 1967 by Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd across the road from an older distillery of the same name. The year after the new distillery opened, the original was renamed Clynelish 1, and later, to avoid confusion, Brora. The new distillery was essentially a modernised version of the original, using stills shaped after the old ones and producing a similar, if less peaty, style of whisky.
Clynelish and Brora now sit side by side as one of Scotland’s more unusual sister-distillery pairings. Clynelish makes a cleaner, waxier spirit that goes largely into Johnnie Walker blends, while Brora, silent between 1983 and its 2021 reopening, now produces its own small-batch, more heavily peated single malt just across the road.
The distillery was transferred to United Distillers in 1987, which was itself acquired by Diageo in 1998. Two additional washbacks were installed in 2008 to allow seven-day-a-week production, and a year-long refurbishment completed in June 2017 modernised the still room and washbacks, following a 2014 plan to double capacity that was ultimately postponed.
Like its older sibling Brora, Clynelish produces an oily-textured whisky with a mouth-coating waxiness. During normal whisky production, natural residue builds up in the feints and foreshots receivers and is typically cleared during the distillery’s silent period. At Clynelish, this harmless residue is deliberately left in the tanks, and it’s this that lends the spirit its distinctive waxy character.
Most of the spirit produced at Clynelish goes into blends, particularly Johnnie Walker. Official single malt bottlings used to be hard to find, but since Clynelish was added to the Classic Malts range, more have become available, including a 14 Year Old Flora and Fauna release bottled around 2000, a 14 Year Old that replaced it from 2003, a Distillers Edition finished in Oloroso Sherry casks, and a Distillery Only Bottle available solely at the distillery.
No. Diageo’s Clynelish visitor centre closed to the public on 13 March 2026, with tours ending on 28 February, as part of a wider cost-cutting review. Production at the distillery itself is unaffected.