Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured

Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark amber bronze
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Figs, raisins, brown paper, black tea, dark chocolate, cooked rice, dates, hints of peat. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, figs, butterscotch, black teac peat, smoke, dates, hints of dark chocolate, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Long. Autumn leaves, dates, butterscotch, smoke, hints of fish sauce. 

Comments: 

A rather good Kilchoman, plenty of sweet notes complementing the distillery character of gentle smoke and dates. There’s some earthiness as well, especially on the finish. Excellent dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Ruby Port Single Cask Finish

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Ruby Port Single Cask Finish

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Amber, hints of red
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Autumn leaves, honey, red grapes, raisins, dried strawberries, marzipan. With water, vanilla sponge, honey, dates, dried strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, red grapes, leather, marzipan, orange peel, driftwood smoke, hints of dates. With water, more bitter, caramel, orange peel, red grapes, hints of pear. 
Finish: Medium. Dried strawberries, orange peel, red grapes, raisins, leather. 

Comments: 

Cask 2491/12. Quite sweet, the smoke and peat are rather gentle in this whisky. A lot of earthier notes emerge, even some caramel, once water is added. Quite leathery and sweet on the finish too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 100% Islay Bourbon Single Cask

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 100% Islay Bourbon Single Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Straw
55.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, honey, white wine, lemon zest, sea salt, peanuts, leather, hints of smoke. With water, smoke, leather, white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, static. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Sea salt, fresh baked bread, leather, autumn leaves, smoke, germolene, white wine, hints of vanilla. With water, autumn leaves, vanilla, honey. 
Finish: Short. Peanuts, germolene, lemon zest, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 719/2012. Austere and earthy, this is lovely stripped back whisky. There are some signs of the other facets of Kilchoman, peanuts and pears, and a little honey, in place of the more common dates. Honestly, I do prefer this to the sweeter sherried versions.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 Distillery Shop Exclusive Oloroso Sherry Cask

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 Distillery Shop Exclusive Oloroso Sherry Cask 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay

Amber
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dates, leather, peat, driftwood smoke, autumn leaves, phenol. With water, vanilla, orange peel, golden syrup, marshmallows, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, static, syrupy, sticky. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Dates, sea salt, autumn leaves, bay leaf, driftwood smoke, peat, orange peel. With water, sea salt, marshmallows, orange peel, smoke, autumn leaves. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, golden syrup, dates, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask 423/2007. Surprisingly herbal and savoury for a Sherry cask. Lots of briny, earthy notes on the tongue. It’s surprisingly fragrant and bitter, but the finish is sweet and long with plenty of zesty notes. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 5yo 2015/2020 100% Islay PX Cask

Kilchoman 5yo 2015/2020 100% Islay PX Single Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay

Amber bronze
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, black pepper, honey, raisins, leather, dried strawberries, hints of smoke. With water, raisins, dates, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, turns sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Cough syrup, leather, smoke, peat, dried strawberries, honey, black pepper, hints of fresh baked bread. With water, smoke, germolene, honey, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Germolene, black pepper, fresh baked bread, raisins, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 319/2015. Quite sweet, unctuously so, the PX cask gives a really thick and sticky mouthfeel, even if the body is quite ‘light’. Spicy finish too, and the smoke is very gentle. Almost too sweet.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Port Ellen Malt Bourbon Matured Single Cask

Kilchoman 8yo 2012/2021 Port Ellen Malt Bourbon Matured Single Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Silvery gold 
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, dates, honey, fig jam, germolene, hints of chocolate. With water, vanilla, orange peel, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Dates, honey, orange peel, leather, smoke, fresh baked bread, germolene, hints of cigar ash. With water, germolene, orange peel, leather, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, dates, smoke, cigar ash. 

Comments: 

Cask 726/2012. Lots of sweet notes, and particularly a big hit of citrus along with all that smoke. But it doesn’t really taste very sweet. There’s a slightly surprising ashy note too, I don’t remember the peat in Kilchoman being quite so harsh. It’s very good whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Kilchoman 11yo 2007/2019 (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Pale bronze 
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, dates, honey, smoke, orange peel, hints of tarragon. With water, honey, white grapes, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, tarragon, orange peel, quince jelly, barley sugar, hints of smoke. With water, barley sugar, cookie dough, vanilla, leather. 
Finish: Long. Quince jelly, dates, honey, white grapes, hints of smoke.  

Comments: 

Kilchoman has evolved a fair bit since I tasted its new make a decade ago. But it’s still distinctive, there’s this date honey sweetness, with some typical Islay smoke. It used to be more savoury perhaps, this one isn’t at all. Instead it’s got a herbal fragrance, anise or tarragon, wreathed throughout the nose and on the tongue. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman United Kingdom Small Batch

Kilchoman United Kingdom Small Batch

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
48.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, leather, red grapes, bacon, smoke, orange zest, hints of lemon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, peanuts, leather, fresh cut grass, lemons, dates. 
Finish: Short. Green peppers, fresh cut grass, lemons, hints of fish sauce. 

Comments: 

This no-age-statement Kilchoman is subtle and gentle. There's the usual dates, smoke, peat, and even a little fish sauce, but there's also many herbal notes, including grass, green peppers and lemons. Enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman Sanaig

Kilchoman Sanaig

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, leather, peanuts, red grapes, honey, fish sauce, hints of dates. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, slightly oily, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Peat, driftwood smoke, date honey, peanuts, fish sauce, sea salt, hints of new plastic. 
Finish: Long. Peanuts, dates, fish sauce, golden syrup, leather. 

Comments: 

Otherwise known as STR, stands for Shaved, Toasted and Recharred, the cask treatment for aging. It's got some nice date honey notes, and there's some delicious fish sauce alongside. Brilliant Kilchoman, very highly peated.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kilchoman Red Wine Cask Matured

Kilchoman Red Wine Cask Matured

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Red gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, raisins, smoke, peat, hints of jasmine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, slippery, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, white grapes, smoke, green tea, jasmine, peat. 
Finish: Medium. Red grapes, jasmine, orange peel, apple juice, peat. 

Comments: 

Smoky, but gently floral, plenty of red fruit. The anticipated peat was a restrained influence in the background, and didn't overwhelm the whisky. I missed the usual date notes that I find in Kilchoman though. Nevertheless, good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kilchoman Quarter Cask 4 yo 2010/2015 # 582/2010

Kilchoman Quarter Cask 4 yo 2010/2015 # 582/2010

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Silver gold
59.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, dates, pears, mint, hints of pistachio nuts. With water, leather, fish sauce, peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, slightly watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, smoke, dates, caramel, mint, palm sugar, hints of peaches. With water, sweet salty, fish sauce, leather, more peaches. 
Finish: Long. Mint, pistachio nuts, peaches, hints of lavender. 

Comments: 

Like all Kilchomans I've had, this whisky is extraordinarily complex for its young age. Dates and peaches vie with smoke and peat. Upon dilution, familiar sweet salty umami notes come to the fore, plenty of smoky fish sauce in here. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition

Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Pale gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dates, honey, pears, smoke, peat, hints of fish sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Dates, fish sauce, sea salt, pears, cream, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, apples, leather, soy sauce, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

Dates, pears and fish sauce - that's what Kilchoman tastes like. All those lovely notes are very much in evidence with this one, and it's also wreathed through with cream, sea salt and apples. This is great whisky, from a rather unique distillery. Yummy yum yum.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2014

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2014

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Plums, black tea, leather, smoke, peat, pears, hints of smoked fish. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, watery, loose. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pears, plums, black tea, tobacco leaf, peat, smoke, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Plums, tobacco leaf, orange peel, hints of smoked fish. 

Comments: 

Sherried Kilchoman. Sweet, but with lots of savouriness underpinning it - familiar-ish Kilchoman fishiness, tobacco leaf, and of course the Islay peat and smoke. This is really excellent whisky, perfect marriage of peat and fruit.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 129.7 (Kilchoman 4 yo 2010/2015)

SMWS 129.7 (Kilchoman 4 yo 2010/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Islay
Light gold
64.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peppermint, smoke, peat, laver bread, cod liver oil, hints of yoghurt. With water, milk chocolate, honey, hints of salt caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peppermint, cod liver oil, smoke, peat, cream, honey, hints of popcorn. With water, sweeter, popcorn, milk chocolate, salt caramel. 
Finish: Long. Peat, honey, cod liver oil, laver bread. 

Comments: 

Kilchoman is a very unique whisky. Young Kilchoman (and there's not much that isn't young) seems to taste slightly fishy and salty to me, and it's not an unpleasant flavour. This one, once you get past the peat and smoke, tastes of cod liver oil and popcorn. Yes, an odd combination, but very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kilchoman Machir Bay 2013

Kilchoman Machir Bay 2013

Official bottling 
Single malt - Islay
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, vanilla, pears, lemon zest, oatmeal, hints of fish sauce. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, loose, volatile. 
Tasting: Bitter sour. Lemon zest, peat, smoke, pears, vanilla, apples, oatmeal . 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, apples, pears, peat, smoke, hints of melon. 

Comments: 

Fruity and smoky, this is a devastating combination. Despite the age of the whisky (a vatting of 4 and 5 year old casks), there is an amazing depth of flavour. Complex and delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kilchoman Autumn 2009 Release

Kilchoman Autumn 2009 Release

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Bronze
46% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Peanuts, peat, dates, honey, smoke, butterscotch, hints of soy sauce, hints of mint.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, turns watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peat, dates, honey, butterscotch, peanuts, mint, hints of fish sauce.
Finish: Short. Oats, dates, cream, peat.

Comments:

3 years old, finished for 3 months in a sherry butt. Sweet, like the new make spirit, this time with hints of savoury notes. The date and butterscotch comes through very strongly, cutting through all that peat.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Kilchoman New Make Spirit

Kilchoman New Make Spirit

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Very very pale gold
63.5% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Peat, hay, fresh cut grass, dates underneath.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, watery.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Fish sauce, tangerines, dried citrus peel, butterscotch.
Finish: Long. Hot, peaty, smoky, hint of sweet pear.

Comments:

Wow. Strong and tasty, best way to enjoy whisky. This is new make spirit, not yet aged 3 years, and therefore can't be termed whisky officially. It's the way people used to drink it anyway (maybe diluted with a little water - this stuff needs a little to bring out the butterscotch note more), before they discovered that if you stuck the stuff in wood it would taste more interesting. However, this tastes interesting enough - I can't wait for the real wood-aged stuff to appear. Kilchoman must be one hell of a distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!