Cley Rye & Malt Cask Strength

Cley from Rotterdam – founded in 2015, which explains why the product only sees the light of day now – will start the production of their own biological single malt as of October 2018. But I enjoy their first so-called Malt & Rye whisky. The release at 46% was more than okay, so let’s try this cask strength release now. Oh! This nose is a lot more fruity than the one of his ‘little brother’ at drinking strength. I get dark and sweet fruit from the get-go in the guise of apricots, plums and raisins. Tobacco leaves and rye toast. The rye gives it a nice spiciness. Some vanilla and honey. It even smells a bit succulent. Nice! Good body. Oily, almost syrupy. Nicely sweet on dark fruit like in the nose, joined by some nutmeg, saffron and black pepper. Apricots and blueberries. Sturdy fellow, but very flavorsome. The finish is warm, spicy, feisty and long and all the fruit from the nose passes by once more. Hard to believe it is the same whisky. Undiluted it is much better. The sample was offered by distiller Paul den Dulk. Congrats, sir!