Kilchoman 10th Anniversary

Kilchoman 10th Anniversary, NAS, 58,2 %

Kilchoman Distillery, the young newcomer on Islay, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To commemorate this they release the Kilchoman 10th Anniversary at the Feis Ile 2015 festival earlier this year. This is a limited edition of 3000 bottles. It is a vatting of whisky from casks filled between 2005 and 2012, including whisky from cask number 1. It has been matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks.

This special release was supposed to be sold only at the distillery shop on Islay, but somehow the enterprising team at Clydesdale AB in Sweden managed to get 24 bottles for sale in Sweden, at SEK 1168 (item number 2020001).

Update 2015-09-09: These bottles will be available to order online in Sweden on September 10, at 10 am.

Nose (23/25):  Full and rich, as expected from a cask strength Kilchoman. I do find the usual meaty peatiness, mixed with lots of citrus and summer fruits. Fine spices and a bit of dark chocolate. A nose that makes me happy, really. Young, peaty whisky does not get a much better nose than this, in my mind.

Taste (21/25): Not as finely tuned and rich as the nose, I must admit. The spices are more pronounced, with pepper taking center stage. Still very much peaty and meaty. Apples and citrus.

Finish (20/25): Medium long finish, with lots of warmth. Peaty and fruity all the way, but I am left wanting more from it. Not exactly what, though.

Balance (21/25): A very fine effort, but I have had many Kilchoman whiskies that I would rate higher than this one. Looking forward to the first true 10 YO from the distillery. That will be exciting, but it is probably a year or two off still.

Score (85/100)

Image from Kilchoman Distillery.

Sláinte! - Thomas