Review by: zSolaris
Distillery: Kilchoman
Region: Islay
Age: NAS.
ABV: 60.00%. Cask Strength.
Price: Sample courtesy of /u/thepeatypeshwa
Color: 0.2, Pale Straw. Natural Color and Non-Chill Filtered.
Nose: Lots of peats and smoke from the start. There’s some roasted barley along with a lightly earthy and sweet note I can’t quite place. There’s also a slightly bread-y note that reminds me of the crust on a wood-fired pizza that’s gotten slightly charred.
Palate: Perfectly drinkable at full strength, doesn’t taste like 60% ABV at all. It’s a lot sweeter than I expected it to be. Demerara sugar is the main note along with some lemon zest and icing. Some more of the wood-fired pizza crust comes along as well. A few drops of water makes things a tad sweeter, but not a whole lot of change comes about.
Finish: Nice and long. More peat, smoke, and sugar. You get a bit of bonfire embers along with some bacon smoke. A little bit of a slightly grainy and nutty note that reminds me of semolina wraps things up nicely.
Conclusion: I’ve heard nothing but good things about Kilchoman. I have put off trying some since super peaty whisky isn’t always my preference and I have to say, I shouldn’t have taken this long. Despite clocking in at 60%, this is nice and drinkable even without any added water. There’s enough peat and smoke to get your fix without being so overpowering that feels like you’ve nuked your taste buds. The bits of slightly charred pizza crust throughout is pretty darn addicting and makes me want more and more. Well done to the folks on the farm!
Final Score: 81.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 
