Price: £66.55
ABV: 46%
Chill Filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Supplier: The Whisky Exchange
Description: The 2008 Vintage is Kilchoman's first seven-year-old whisky. A classic Kilchoman expression, matured in a bourbon barrel and layered with sweet fruity flavours. Described by the distillery as a “a vatting of fresh ex Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels filled in July 2008”. This is the latest in a series of vintage releases, following on from the popular 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2013. Bottled in 2015 at 46% abv.
General Comments: I'm returning for a review of oe of my favourite Kilchoman's, and one of the finest heavily peated whisky's I've tasted in the last couple of years. This was for me the first of a new generation of Kilchoman whisky's that got the distillery very excited. Prior to this bottling I felt that Kilchoman peat lacked complexity, and nuance and as such needed a wine casking to create a flavour. As such I always favoured the Loch Gorm over the 100% Islay and only visited the wine cask matured limited editions. This was the first Kilchoman whisky to change all that, and the work has continued with the 2016 bottling of the 100% Islay, which I view as vastly superior to previous releases. However, upon opening this bottling at Christmas 2015 I was deeply disappointed; there was no characteristic Kilchoman peat and what was in front of me was a pleasant whisky but along way from what I had expected. Upon returning to the bottle two months later I am happy to report that I found a fantastical whisky which is everything I could ever want or expect from a bourbon cask matured peat monster. If you like an Ardbeg 10; this is a bottle that takes that style to the next level.
Nose: Immediately on the nose, this is reassuringly Kilchoman as I get a huge scent of sweet peat; vanilla, barley sugars, granola, cocoa powder a sweet syrup and a touch of orchard fruits, Williams pear's.
General Comments: I'm returning for a review of oe of my favourite Kilchoman's, and one of the finest heavily peated whisky's I've tasted in the last couple of years. This was for me the first of a new generation of Kilchoman whisky's that got the distillery very excited. Prior to this bottling I felt that Kilchoman peat lacked complexity, and nuance and as such needed a wine casking to create a flavour. As such I always favoured the Loch Gorm over the 100% Islay and only visited the wine cask matured limited editions. This was the first Kilchoman whisky to change all that, and the work has continued with the 2016 bottling of the 100% Islay, which I view as vastly superior to previous releases. However, upon opening this bottling at Christmas 2015 I was deeply disappointed; there was no characteristic Kilchoman peat and what was in front of me was a pleasant whisky but along way from what I had expected. Upon returning to the bottle two months later I am happy to report that I found a fantastical whisky which is everything I could ever want or expect from a bourbon cask matured peat monster. If you like an Ardbeg 10; this is a bottle that takes that style to the next level.
Without Water
Nose: Immediately on the nose, this is reassuringly Kilchoman as I get a huge scent of sweet peat; vanilla, barley sugars, granola, cocoa powder a sweet syrup and a touch of orchard fruits, Williams pear's.
Palate: It's rich on the pallate; the sweetness coming from vanilla's white sugar syrup, white fruits such as lychee's, as well as orchard fruits. The peat is there in a too in a big way; but a sweet smokey taste lingers, like tasting the tobacco in a fine hand-rolled cigar. As such there is a strong , but balanced mix between the syrup and fruity sweetness and the peaty, smokey, tobacco flavours. A hint of citrus, grape fruit juice also cuts through the palate a touch
Finish: On the finish the sweetness has dissipated into the background while a leathery tobacco flavour is dominant in the mouth. There is a tingling all over the mouth which is a menthol style from the peat, rather than any alcohol burn. William's pear's and Lychee's return as the tobacco finish dies, leaving a fairly long and pleasing finish.
Nose: The fruity sweetness appears to have been elevated, and i'm now getting the scent of Werthers Original along with a touch of mintiness from the peat. I think those few drops of water have elevated this whisky and I cant wait to give it a taste.
Palate: A tad more of everything really. A tad richer, with a sucked toffee penny style sweetness lurking in the shadows; I sense its presence, but it never fully comes into the light. That said, its sweet presence is appreciated as it as a level of complexity to the white fruit sweetness. The peat buzzes that extra bit more, especially on the front of the tongue; the leather and tabacco become saltier, andf at the back end fine dark chocolate starts to emerge. This is the stuff.
Finish: The dark chocolate flavour never gets too bitter on the finish; maybe as much as a dusting of cocoa powder. There is definitely an oakiness that appears, but its taste and still tangibly changes mid emergence to take the finish in a different, arguably more pleasing, chocolaty direction. If it hasn't come across; I like this. Along with the Bunnahabhain Ceonbanach Batch 01 this bottle is heavily peated, white fruit sweetened royalty.
With Water
Nose: The fruity sweetness appears to have been elevated, and i'm now getting the scent of Werthers Original along with a touch of mintiness from the peat. I think those few drops of water have elevated this whisky and I cant wait to give it a taste.
Palate: A tad more of everything really. A tad richer, with a sucked toffee penny style sweetness lurking in the shadows; I sense its presence, but it never fully comes into the light. That said, its sweet presence is appreciated as it as a level of complexity to the white fruit sweetness. The peat buzzes that extra bit more, especially on the front of the tongue; the leather and tabacco become saltier, andf at the back end fine dark chocolate starts to emerge. This is the stuff.
Finish: The dark chocolate flavour never gets too bitter on the finish; maybe as much as a dusting of cocoa powder. There is definitely an oakiness that appears, but its taste and still tangibly changes mid emergence to take the finish in a different, arguably more pleasing, chocolaty direction. If it hasn't come across; I like this. Along with the Bunnahabhain Ceonbanach Batch 01 this bottle is heavily peated, white fruit sweetened royalty.
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