Launched two weeks ago, Kilchoman Loch Gorm will be a regular part of the core range and the only fully sherry matured expression. It will be periodically replaced by a new batch. This first batch was matured in oloroso sherry butts for over 5 years and finished in oloroso hogsheads for six weeks.
Kilchoman ‘Loch Gorm’ 2007 (46%, OB 2013, first release, 10.000 btl.)
Nose: fresh inner bicycle tube. Even though it’s still the main component, the peat seems less assertive than it was in previous releases. Quite some antiseptic / anaesthetic and mint. A vague sweetness (lacquered meat) as well as spicy notes (pepper, clove).
Mouth: the peat starts sweet but grows drier and eathier. Wood smoke and spices again (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon). Chocolate and raisins in the background. Tobacco leaves.
Finish: long, smoky and sweet.
This one has a balance of peat and sweetness that I haven’t seen before. I seem to like Kilchoman better at a slightly lower strength and with some sherry character. Around € 65.
Score: 86/100