Cladach Blended Malt Diageo Special Release 2018

Cladach is this year’s ‘secret bottle’, like Collectivum XXVIII was last year’s. In other words, this was revealed late in the game. Cladach means as much as ‘coastline’ and is a blended malt, composed of six coastal single malts: Coal Ila, Clynelish, Lagavulin, Oban, Inchgower and Talisker. This has got to be good, right?

Hello! Immediate maritime elements on the nose (doh!) with salt, soot, seaweeds, oysters and a mild development of smoke. Blind, I might have mistaken this for a Lagavulin at first, which leads me to believe this is the dominant malt. But the typical pepperiness from Talisker is present as well, while the Clynelish takes care of a lovely waxy note. Some clear honey, limes and lemons, a leaf of mint and something that reminds me of butane gas, I kid you not. Some pastry, but all the way in the background. Know what? This is absolutely stunning.

Great body and immediately quite dark and sooty on the palate. Great continuation of the nose with sweet and salty notes. Quite some smoke and soot, but soft and creamy at the same time, with smoldering wood, charcoal and liquorice, salt & pepper… You can almost chew this one!

Medium long finish, but very balanced with an uppercut of vanilla at the death.

This blended malt truly is more than just the sum of its parts. Value for money. It is yours for 160 EUR. I did not doubt and got me two bottles. Bring on a cold winter!