Following the Glentauchers 2008 review that opened the weekend, we’ll end the weekend with another young whisky bottled for Whisky In Leiden 2017 festival.

And it’s one from the other side of the spectrum, opposite of the sherried Speyside there’s a peated Islay malt so nobody get bored. This whisky was distilled in May 2011, matured in refill hogshead (cask 9313) and bottled in early 2017, yielding 306 bottles.

The Exclusive Malts Islay Malt 2011 5 Year Old (Whisky in Leiden 2017) (57.7%, €54,99)

Nose: Sharp oak spices, malt and peat smoke, then honey and vanilla, dry yet very fresh and the smoke which is soft at first then getting sharper. Honey with lemon, then pears. Later on getting minerals and brine along with citrus peels. 

Palate: Surprisingly strong peat note (for this distillery), sweet honey, meaty, brine and oak, less minerals than on the nose, sugar sprinkles, lemon, oily with gentle oak spices.

Finish: Medium length, gentle oak spices, oily, minerals and lemon, lingering peat smoke.

Thoughts: Young, not complex but well done whisky from a good cask. Definitely a good session whisky. Heck, I even didn’t bother to add water despite the high ABV. Bottom line: Cask Strength young Islay whisky for a good price.

(Official sample provided by WhiskySite.nl)