Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Glengyle Kilkerran.
Bottler: Distillery.
Region: Scotland/Campbeltown Single Malt.
ABV: 49.2%.
Age: 20 Years. Distilled in 2004. Bottled in 2024.
Cask type: First Fill Rum (10Y), Refill Bourbon.
Nose: Malty, fruity, digestif biscuits, marshmallows, maritime, dried grass, more orchard fruit with time.
Palate: Medium-bodied, bright and fruity, woody and astringent, tropical, dried grass, woody, maritime.
Finish: Medium-length, fruit and drying.
Mental Image: Campbeltown Beach Party.
Conclusion: Malty and fruity, the aroma ranged from sea shores to marshmallows with a gentle maritime brine, woven palm frond mats, and fruit-flavored marshmallows. Digestif biscuits, persimmons, and apple sauce lingered further in with more dried grass and minerals on a sea breeze. Medium-bodied, the flavor profile was bright and fruity with slightly astringent persimmons and dried mango slices moving toward dry woven palm fronds, carved drift wood, and a touch of watch oil. A touch more pineapple and coconut brought to mind mai tais at a beach bar with earth, beach, and brine in the background. The finish was medium-length, fruity and drying.
I picked up a sample of this bottle in late-2024 from Springbank’s Washback Bar. Retail bottles were long gone, of course, but the staff was more than willing to entertain my desire to pack away a dram for home.
Mellow after two decades in the cask, the secondary maturation in a rum cask elevated the fruitier elements of the malt so that this came off as mild, gentle, and rather tropical. It lacked some of the depth and heft I hoped to find, especially the lovely earthy and autumnal notes I prize on Kilkerran. However, I enjoyed the beach bar vibes that emerged from the fruit and wood. It was oddly drying, as if a tannic astringency snuck up on me, a quality that lingered on the finish, sometimes turning a touch bitter and emphasizing a certain thinness, or lightness, on the mouthfeel.
Overall, two things were true— this was a fine whisky and it fell short of what I hoped it would be. I would happily accept a pour of this, but you will not see me hunting down a bottle at auction or at a bar.
Final Score: 79.
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 