Cley Secret Islay

Paul and Maria from the Rotterdam Cley distillery have a special place in my heart. They make really nice whisky and they are also super sympathetic people. That's always good for a nice story. And they are getting more and more acclaim – rightly so! – because after the special festival bottling for the whisky festival in Eindhoven – selected by The Barrel Baron – this time they bottled a very special malt for the Whisky Festival in Delft in May 2022. A Secret Islay! And triple distilled! After 4 years on a classic bourbon cask, this Dutch malt got an 18-month finish on a cask on which an Islay whisky previously matured. Which one? That's a well-kept secret. Who knows, maybe I'll taste it.

The nose is already excellent. Very accessible on vanilla and yellow fruit, orange, honey, white bread and banana. But... wrapped in a soft smokiness that gives it weight and depth. A fresh touch of eucalyptus... How attractive!

Oh, blissful! The malt comes in firmly with a nice smokiness that grows quickly and makes your mouth completely warm, while the vanilla and oranges come to the fore. The Islay cask has done a fantastic job here. It gives the malt a beautiful touch without dominating. And the strength is almost perfect.

The finish is long, smoky and sweet. As the peat leaves with a silent drum, another fresh touch of orange zest appears.

OMG, I think I've just tasted the best ever from Paul and Maria. Kudos! And that Islay cask? No idea. I am in doubt between Kilchoman and Caol Ila. But that makes absolutely no difference.