Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Kilchoman.
Bottler: Distillery.
Region: Scotland/Islay Single Malt.
ABV: 50%.
Age: 6 years. Distilled in 2012. Bottled in 2019.
Cask type: STR Red Wine Casks.
Nose: Red fruit, smoked fish, mellow salinity, dried leaves and autumn vegetation, burning pine, almost a petrichor-like earthiness.
Palate: Medium-bodied, balanced mouthfeel, dried fruit, layers of herbal spice and Sichuan peppercorns, mild smoked fish and charred driftwood, tobacco, earth, dried vegetation.
Finish: Medium to long with dried vegetation, mellow spice, and a kiss of salt.
Mental Image: Waking up to Autumn.
Conclusion: The aroma was pleasant, with apples, berries, and mild red fruits. Smoke and salt were not far behind as smoked fish and a mild salinity arrived with burning pine. Beyond the coast were earthy notes, almost petrichor at times, with dried leaves, construction paper, and bare autumn vegetation. The autumnal nature of the nose reprised itself on a medium-bodied palate. The flavors and mouthfeel were well balanced with red apples, plums, and pears leading a tingling layer of herbal spice and bright Sichuan peppercorns. Mild smoked fish, or perhaps burnt brisket ends, paired with the faint aroma of pine burning in a distant fireplace or charred salty driftwood. Toward the end, the earthiness rose from the background with petrichor, tobacco, and dried bare vegetation. The finish was medium to long with dried vegetation, mellow, peppery spice, and a kiss of salt.
I love a whisky that reminds me of autumn, and Kilchoman is a great place to hunt for those earthy, vegetative, wispy, smokey notes. I have rarely encountered a Kilchoman without an excellent and varied aroma. However, at least a few fell flat on the palate with a simple flavor profile and abbreviated finish. This Kilchoman had none of those issues; the palate was not quite as rich or thick as I would have liked, but the autumn earthiness ran throughout and surfaced to become the dominant characteristic at the end and on to the finish.
Overall, this was delightful and I hope Kilchoman does another edition of this STR release. Besides the 2019 edition, STR releases have primarily been single casks, as far as I know, which can make tracking them down more difficult and expensive.
Final Score: 83.
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 