Next up in the Feis Ile line-up is Kilchoman. We’ve reviewed their brand-new PX Sherry Matured last week, but today we’re looking at two single casks that were far less available.
One is a Kilchoman 2007 for Max & Julia, two Dutch whisky lovers who wish to remain anonymous. The other one is a Kilchoman 2012, matured in a Buffalo Trace barrel and transferred to a Madeira hogshead for 9 months – a sister cask of the Holy Dram bottling. This was bottled for the Greek Whisky Association.
Kilchoman 13 yo 2007 (55,5%, OB ‘Private Cask release’ for Max & Julia 2020, bourbon barrel #69)
Nose: an oily nose rather than a heavily peated one. Engine oil, metal polish and dusty ashes, with hints of bitumen and new sneakers, as well as a bit of freshly sawn wood and wet wool. Lemons and dried herbs in the background.
Mouth: this highly phenolic smoke again, albeit slightly more narrow and seemingly younger now. Hints of plastics and tar, but overall more oily notes and heather. Rather more saline than the nose suggested, with big hints of iodine. Preserved lemons, crushed black peppercorns. Some sweet barley in the back to balance it out.
Finish: long, still very coastal, with smoked lemons and earthy peat.
A really coastal, earthy and peaty Kilchoman. You can’t beat the precision of a bourbon cask when you’ve got a good spirit. Essentially a private release but part of the outturn was sold through Best of Wines (and still available).
Kilchoman 7 yo 2012 (55,6%, OB for Greek Whisky Association 2019, Madeira finish, cask #183, 261 btl.)
Nose: the Madeira is quite obvious, you get a mix of sweet peat smoke and lacquered roasted meat, with red berry jam, bramble and caramelized nuts. Sweet tobacco and soft mint. Cinnamon cake and sweet almond paste. Hints of orange peel as well. Good balance.
Mouth: starts on blood oranges and berries again (blackcurrant) in a slightly more winey profile, before mixing in leafy notes (tobacco), caramelized nuts and acrid, earthy peat. More spice than in the Holy Dram bottling (pepper / ginger), with some sandalwood, a faint bitter edge and a touch of rubber as well. Sweet cranberry juice.
Finish: long, drier now, with some walnut skins, cloves and black pepper, alongside the berry sweetness
Although I was impressed by the rich and balanced nose, it doesn’t reach the same level of integration on the palate. An interesting combination but the wine is clashing a little with the spirit.
Score: 83/100