Kilchoman Am Bùrach (2020 Edition)

Kilchoman Am Bùrach 2020 Limited Edition release was created by accident. In 2014, Machir Bay (core expression of Kilchoman matured in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks) was accidentally mixed with Port matured Kilchoman while vatting casks ... causing Islay Heads, the distillery General Manager, to describe the result as 'Am bùrach' which means 'the mess' in Gaelic. It was then matured in ex-bourbon casks for another 6 years and then finished in Ruby Port casks for 6 months. Bottled at 46% ABV with no color added and un-chill filtered, this expression is a one-off release. When I first opened the bottle and poured a dram, I wasn't impressed ... it came across rough and unbalanced with off-putting notes. I let it sit knowing that some air time can do magic to the whisky. Over these past few weeks the whisky has improved considerably and provides quite an engaging experience. On the nose, there are nice aromas of sweet and earthy peat ... red fruits like apple and plums ... bit of lemon ... raspberries and cereal notes ... quite fruity ... and sweet! No alcohol burn and the peat isn't too strong either. The arrival on the palate is creamy and juicy sweet with peaty earthiness. Slight briny note followed by citrus fruit. Further development on the palate leads to Chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon and raspberry notes. A bit of almonds ... perhaps marzipan ... Peat stays on ....and becomes more prominent on the back palate ... with slight pepperiness ... Peat is not very strong .. very well balanced ... yummy! The finish is quite nice ... medium to long ... bit dry ...and the sweet fruity notes continue ...some chocolate as well. This is quite nice at 46% but I'd love to try this at cask strength as well! Wonder if there would be another accident causing such a beautiful mess 😃

(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow. Virtual Whisky Tasting Saturday 25th July 2020). Nose: Smoky bacon, campfire. A very light hint of berries and cream, although you have to search for this on the nose. It's more of a glance after you've sniffed the glass. Palate: Frazzles crisps (?), burnt toast, caramelised apples and kids sweeties (the cheap penny tray kind!) Finish: Port really comes out in the finish, still peaty and a little salty. This is a bit of a mongrel, as you taste it you keep picking out more layers and different tastes - all of which are nicely layered. It has the peat and salt all through and this adds to the character of the whisky to keep it interesting. Water kills the taste completely. It dulls almost all of the layers and just leaves the peat and campfire notes. Out of the 6 drams on the tasting, this achieved 25% of the vote for favourite which made it joint first place, but the common consensus was that all 6 were really too close to call.

Very welcoming Kilchoman peat on the nose which takes the traditional Islay peat spirit one step further. I must say - the ruby cask influence is nicely delivering some deep and fresh dark red fruit aromas. It is berries galore, pineapple with a fruity barbecue sauce, ginger, minerals. On the palate very peat forward with burned matches and cold barbecue-smoked food. But also nicely sweet with cotton candy, caramelized almonds, fresh saw dust, a fresh sourness. The finish is deliciously thick and chewy. The peat smoke is intense across all stages and also dominates the finish really nicely. What a nice accident.

Nose: raisin sweet, smoke, ripe apricot, very well balanced, allspice Palate: creamy and sweet arrival, smoked ham, ginger later on Finish: sticky, sweet like honey, background smokyness wraps around, slight bitterness, briny notes

Fruity smoky sweetness. Really can tastes the hints of port cask. Lovely dram. Tastes of raisins and other dried fruits on finish. Bummer it will not be repeated.

Nez : froid, cassonade Bouche : froid, cerises, sucre