The new Cley Distillery is progressing quickly and should be in operation later this year, but today we’ll review two present-day expressions. One a Palo Cortado Finish and the other a Moscatel Finish – both produced in Cley’s modest backyard distillery.
Since I wrote about Cley’s expansion plans almost two years ago the owners have successfully completed a few funding rounds, raising north of 2 million euros for their new distillery and visitor centre. Barley is currently grown nearby, a new distillery building has been erected and the pot stills have been installed as well.
An exciting new chapter awaits Cley Distillery, its owners and the Dutch whisky community. The new location will have a capacity of 180.000 litres per year, which is small in the grand scheme of things, but big for a whisky distillery in Europe, let alone the Netherlands.
Cley 5 Years Moscatel Finish (50%, OB, 2024)
Nose: An immense sweetness highlighted by preserved cherries and marzipan, as well jammy apricots and gentle baking spices. There’s a tinge of pomegranate syrup and blossom as well. And if you try really hard, you might find a sliver of Cley’s more malty DNA.
Taste: Mouthfeel? Almost sticky. Hints of licorice root while baking spices also make an encore. There’s a tinge of black pepper, some candied ginger and apricots, but also a sliver of walnuts and a slight hoppy bitterness. Mind you, this is all in addition to the sweeter notes that also prevailed on the nose.
Finish: Medium. A tinge of burnt caramel and charred oak, but also mead and shortbread.
Cley 4 Years Palo Cortado Finish (50%, OB, Batch No. 2)
Nose: Gentle hints of honey alongside orange blossom and some apricots, as well as a sliver of chocolate and some tiny whiffs of tobacco. Light notes of macadamia puree too, followed by a gentle sprinkle of peaches and sweet pears.
Taste: A mixture of roasted cereals and walmuts alongside dark caramel and chocolate. Just a hint of tobacco again, but also a soft touch of a stracciatella affogato. Ending things with a touch of rum raisins.
Finish: Medium. Some charred oak and vanilla alongside some rye bread and honey.
Samples provided by Craft Spirits
