Review by: dustbunna
Kilkerran has been putting out an 8yr cask strength release in various cask maturations since 2017, starting not long after the 12yr first hit the market. This particular one was the first non-ex-bourbon 8CS batch, and was such a hyped hit in the UK/EU that it was hard to find on shelves in the US when it first started getting distributed here. Arguably it’s also the bottle that put Kilkerran on a lot of US folks’ radar, for better or for worse. The casks used here were Oloroso casks given a recharring treatment more often used in wine casks (STR) or nth-refill ex-bourbon casks (dechar/rechar).
Distillery: Glengyle.
Bottler: Distillery bottling.
Region: Campbeltown.
ABV: 57.1%. Cask strength.
Age: 8 years. Batch 4. Bottled in 2019.
Cask type: Recharred ex-Oloroso sherry casks.
Price: $110 USD.
Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Bottle open across approx. 4 months, notes taken leisurely across that period. Bold notes taken beneath the shoulder, regular-formatted notes taken further into the bottle past the halfway point, italicized notes taken towards the heel.
Nose: chocolate, cedar, leather, some brighter fruity and woody notes in the background, plums, soot, water brings out a bit of Parmesan cheese, blueberry jam, sour and nutty Oloroso wine pokes through.
Palate: full-bodied ~ more chocolate and cedar, matchsticks, cured meats, some coal smoke, dried fruits, orange oil, roasted chilis, chocolate comes forward a bit, a hint of copper penny.
Finish: medium-long ~ red fruits, orange zest, burnt twigs and leaves, hints of something floral in the background, Oloroso pokes through again.
Conclusion: This is so easy to sit back and enjoy that I actually had trouble remembering to take notes for it early on. It’s simply very good, well-balanced whisky that reminds me of an amped-up version of the Hazelburn 13yr Oloroso I reviewed recently, another of the very few J&A Mitchell sherry cask releases that seems to fit my palate. I think this is about as friendly as a Campbeltown CS bottling can be, which might be part of how it earned its reputation. I do not think it meets the level of hype that preceded its arrival in the States, and it’s not a $110 bottle to me, however it is genuinely interesting, engaging, and keeps me coming back— especially once it has some time to open up and build some complexity.
Final Score: 86.
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 