Kilchoman Loch Gorm (2016 Edition)

This past Sunday's dusk found me watching the NY Mets close their fun and bizarre season intermingled with football during a somewhat dank day. A perfect day to sample a generously provided smokey dram (thanks Pranay!). Kilchoman is doing things right and been hooked with Machir Bay and look to collect some more of their line. The nose of Loch Gorm arrives with a sweet bouquet of smoke, brine, mixed nuts of almonds and walnuts with a touch of caramel. A lovely nose that I could be inhaled all day. Finally, a sip that delivers a creamy sweet honey and vanilla body which is backed with a touch of smoke, milk chocolate and a youthful hotness. All these flavors are well-balanced and no one flavor overly dominates. As you enjoy these flavors, they ultimately fade leaving the charcoaled palate with a touch of black pepper and mint with some brine/saline and bitterness that seems to last allowing you savor the dram. A tiny amount of water draws the sweeter side by diminishing the youthfullness. This is an excellent smokey Islay that is a must for any peat-head. The hot and wild nature gives the dram whisky a bit of charm but may be a factor that may be too much for some. A must for any Islay fan. [Dry Glass: Soot and brown sugar][Tasted: 9/2/16][90/100]

We had some friends over last night, and I got the opportunity to open a new bottle. We were deciding between a few Islays. Glad we chose this. Really well made for such a young distillery!! This Islay matures well in a full Sherry cask. It presents a sweet smoky flavor, almost like s'mores over a campfire. Not too smoky, not too peaty, but well balanced with a chocolate /citrus character. I believe this 2016 version is about 5 or 6 years old, but seems really mature for its age. You can sense the quality from the get-go. This is a great middle ground for Islay malts. With a Laphroaig or Lag, you either hate it or love it, no middle ground. But this Islay shows that middle ground; it's well balanced as if a Speysider mated with an Islay. At the verge of sounding blasphemous, I may have found my new favorite Islay...loved this over the Lag 16, Laph 10, and Ardbeg Corry or 10. Namely for its ability to be unpoloarized and well balanced across smoke, peat, floral, citrus and chocolate. Of key note: had in Glencairn with a few drops of water. Over ice, it's muted and bitter. Doesn't need anything more than 1/2 teaspoon at most. Unpoloarized and well balanced...now only if our presidential elections were like that...

As I mentioned in the review of the Caol Ila 18, I tasted this one on a mini blind-tasting together with the Ardbeg 10. The latter one was pretty obvious as I knew it already, and the longer maturation of the Coal Ila showed trough by it’s subdued smoke and sweetness. For the Kilchoman Long Gorm, it’s youth was quite obvious - but that’s not a negative. To the contrary, I was impressed by the nose and palate, considering it’s young age. It’s a complex dram, with lots of sweetness (probably due the Sherry Cask finish) with some hints of bitter chocolate, some citrus fruits and of course a nice amount of smoke. Again, considering it’s age, a very well balanced dram that makes me wonder for their other expressions.

Nose: light tequila, some salt, lemon? Taste: smokey, peaty, stronger, some biting, more character, muchsweeter than Machir B After: some burning but heatwise, not too long 3rd after Sanaig Pleasant - 6/10

Quite smoky, but almost like a dying fire smoke. Not much in the way of sherry sweetness. But hints of chocolate. Smooth and fairly light for an Islay.

Dominant hard wood smoke. Heavy sherry influence. Chocolate. Plum. Hot even with water.