Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Kilchoman.
Bottler: Distillery.
Region: Scotland/Islay Single Malt.
ABV: 56.4%. Cask Strength.
Age: 11 years. Distilled on 19 Sept. 2007. Bottled on 1 March 2019.
Cask type: Bourbon Barrel.
Nose: Burning pine, earth, and hints of brine, bonfire by the sea, spearmint gum, peanut and pistachio, camphor and menthol.
Palate: Medium-bodied, brine, dissolved minerals, charred wood, rust, pinewood smoke, earthy, camphor, menthol, dried grass.
Finish: Medium-length with brine, tar, and smoke.
Mental Image: Bonbons by the Bonfire.
Conclusion: A bonfire by the sea crackled away with smoke from wooden palates and pine drifting into the salty evening air. Smoke, brine, and pine occasionally parted so that earthier notes of clay and decay could come forward with camphor and menthol, which sometimes appeared as something closer to Spearmint gum. A lovely nuttiness hid in the background with sporadic hints of toasted pumpkin seeds, roasted peanut butter, and pistachio. Medium-bodied, the flavor profile reprised many of the same elements with more minerals and brine. Seawater washed in at the fore with charred driftwood, rust, and smoke from a pinewood fire. Decaying organic matter and stones, the scattered debris of a rarely visited shoreline, developed with creamy peanut butter and hints of camphor, menthol, thistle, and dried grass. The finish was medium-length with brine, tar, and smoke.
I found this one of the delightfully bolder mature Kilchoman I have reviewed. I prefer my Kilchoman on the younger end; 4-7 years is usually the peak period for the robustness I love about the spirit. Yet this fine example maintained its richness with a beautifully phenolic profile. There were few fruits or diversions on this dram beyond occasional nuttiness as the flavors pointed straight to the sea and a burning bonfire. The teases of mint, or spearmint gum, on the nose were a fascinating and refreshing contrast to some of the more herbal-acrid, almost medicinal, elements. While the mint was more subdued on the palate, a few drops of water brought it forward more.
Overall, a punchy and delicious Kilchoman; despite its age, it was still rambunctious and precisely what I love about the distillery. It is little wonder that ImPex, the US importer for Kilchoman, picked this cask as part of its semi-regular “Cask Evolution” series.
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 