Kilchoman whiskies reviewed

[JaRiMi]

Recently I tasted a few times Kilchoman whiskies. Kilchoman is the latest (and by far the smallest) distillery on Isle of Islay, Scotland. Some earlier bottlings were tasting very young (which they were, of course), but I was amazed at the palate of these two youngsters.

http://whisky-rum.blogspot.fi/2012/08/a ... r-bay.html

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER? TASTING KILCHOMAN MACHIR BAY AND 2012 SHERRY CASK RELEASE

Kilchoman, the newest distillery on isle of Islay, started distillation in late 2005. Kilchoman now distils annually ca. 100,000 litres. In comparison to Islay’s other distilleries which measure their distillation capacity in millions of litres, it is not very much at all.

Kilchoman has been releasing small-batch bottlings since 2009. This year’s Machir Bay is said to be made up of 60% 3 year old whisky, 35% 4 year old and 5% 5 year old. All the whisky has been matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, vatted together and then finished in an oloroso sherry butt for 8 weeks.

The Sherry Cask release is a limited edition and is the first wholly sherry cask matured Kilchoman (though they have released some single sherry casks exclusive to certain retailers in the past). It is one of Kilchoman’s oldest releases to date, consisting completely of 5 year old whisky, matured in oloroso sherry butts. Tasting notes of these two below.

Kilchoman Machir Bay 46%


Nose: Very coastal; seaweed, iodine, brine. Light & crisp, with some sweet peat smoke. Vanilla – followed by some pear notes (hinting to the young age perhaps). Becomes smokier and more “peary” with time.

Palate: Surprisingly “ready” flavours – my goodness, this whisky could pass for a 10-year old! I do not get the pear-notes in the taste, but sweetish, hefty smoky notes, along with a little salty twinge. Adding water emphasizes the saltiness and really brings out the maritime notes (brine, sea, etc) – and in a little while, the light fruitiness also emerges.

Finish: Peppery, salty and medium-long. The brine-and-smoke mixture carries on the palate for quite a while. Light and clean, the sherry butt treatment escapes unnoticed from me at least.



Kilchoman Sherry Cask Release 46%

Nose: Meaty smoked notes, wood coal, whiffs of a distant BBQ-party. Smoked oysters (or smoked..some-sea-thing). Sweet, maritime notes, brine. No hint of pears – or any other kinds of fruits, really. Does not give much of a clue of it’s true age. None of the slightly “dirty” notes that I’ve noted in some of the earlier Kichoman releases, which were only quickly finished in sherry casks. Really, the marriage of smoke and sherry in this young whisky is in my opinion quite lovely!

Palate: Sweetish (in a dry way!), flavoured with BBQ wood smoke, with salty and fruity notes. Peppery, with a hint of smoked blackberries? Again, the whisky tastes older than it actually is, or so I personally feel at least. Robust, and very pleasing.

Finish: Very long and satisfying, clean of any ash, or “dirty” smoke. Really a rather good whisky, this one!