Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Finish (2018 Edition)

Kilchoman tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, June 25th 2019: Whisky #3 Nose: A gentle fruity/floral presentation that is less brightly floral than Machir Bay, but not as dusky as Sanaig. There is a rich creamy aroma and some very soft, warm and fragrant peat smoke. As it rests in the glass (and particularly after adding a drop of water) you start to sense distinct white grape notes together with some apricot and peach. Palate: A full-bodied, buttery arrival that is also surprisingly spicy. The peat smoke (which has a full, rounded quality) rises quickly in the development and there is a fruity presence - but it’s not that of either fresh or dried fruits. It has a savory touch to it like preserved kumquat or quince and there is a note of dark orange marmalade. The texture is pleasant and the balance is very good. Finish: Medium/long. As the palate subsides the larger fruity notes fade leaving a lingering mild smoky sweetness tinged with a little ginger as the aftertaste. Matured initially in ex-bourbon for 5 years and then given 5 months finishing in fresh sauternes casks, this is an interesting and successful whisky and is certainly worth tasting if you can find it. A dash of water releases more smoke on both the nose and palate, further reveals the sauternes cask and amplifies the spicy characteristics throughout. The more delicate fruity notes get a little left behind with dilution so overall the whisky loses balance when watered, but it’s still very enjoyable. Some folks may prefer to lower the abv and it can certainly cope with watering down to the low 40s. I vacillated on my summary rating for this – it started out as a solid “good” whisky but by the end of the evening, and when compared with the other Kilchomans we tasted, it moved gradually into “very good” territory. The sauternes cask influence is expertly handled and the wine shows as facets rather than just laying over the spirit like a winey blanket. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)

Over the years I've been working my way through drams in roughly the order I bought them with the exception of the 20 or so super drams which I bundled up over the last year and a half and am now working my through with slight Segways or palate cleansers. After the tasting of that lot it will be FIFO (first in first out) with rare exceptions I expedite as one of the Segways as I want to know whether it is worth the rare 2019 instance of a bottle purchase before they sell out. This was one such dram. Beautiful peat, married with sauternes sweetness, no flaws and a lovely warming glowing aftertaste. It is a very nice dram definitely a 4.25. It doesn't however cross into the rare must buy 2019 category for me. I miss the full aging Kilchoman experience. For me whilst excellently executed I'm more of a smack me in the face with what you've got Mr. Cask and this dram isn't that. That was the red wine cask. Nice dram but no cigar / bottle this time round (although I will gratefully accept donations :-)). I will be saving my bottle pennies for the fabled Solstice given the Albariza is most likely sadly out of my reach. Update 11/19. Ok I blew my pennies on the Solstice and then couldn't stop...feast or famine it seems like for me. After buying a bottle of this, the STR and Benromach Peat Sherry 2010 CS I'm officially taking a break.

A complex, Scotch Whisky by Anthony Wills founder of Kilchoman Distillery in Islay, Scotland first it is matured in ex-Bourbon barrels; then the 30 casks are finished for 5-month in fresh Sauternes hogsheads. Only 10 thousand bottles were made. It has an aromatic birth with notes of fresh plum & apricot, BBQ pineapple & salted citrus peels, with just a hint of baked earth; while a rich & creamy life adds notes of quince jam, oatcakes, grassy peat, green apple boiled sweets, caramel, vanilla, citrus, sea salt, cayenne pepper & campfire; that led to a long & earthy death with notes of raspberry, candied ginger, more sea salt, peat & smoke. March 2020 / August 2022

With the exception of the 2018 Port Cask, Kilchoman has generally been either a “good” to “damn good” across all their lines. This one is no exception. Instead of a full maturation in sweet dessert Sauternes, it’s just 5 months above it’s 5 year age. Aroma is sweet smoke embers, palette follows closely of smoke and white petit grapes. Lingering smoky sweet finish. My pour sat out for an entire 1 hour through my business dinner, and it simply got better as the minutes went by. What started out as hot and sweet fiery slowly faded throughout the hour into smoky sweet. This is simply excellent. Kilchoman: you more than made up for that Port Cask screw up.

Un nez tourbé très agréable où on sent légèrement le côté liquoreux du Sauternes avec quelques fruits exotiques. En bouche, la fumée attaque en premier mais bien enrobée dans un corps riche en arômes, caramélisé et bien alcoolisé. La finale est incroyable, très persistante et très agréable. Comme d'habitude, I love Kilcho

I tried a single cask release as part of a flight. The cask is 10 year old. This was the best of the flight by far, I suspect because of the age. It was more rounded and less spiky. For me it is though too expensive for what you get. Glad I tried it.