Single Malt
Scotland
Oak
This is the 11th batch of Kilkerran Heavily Peated single malt from Campbeltown's Glengyle distillery. Drawn from a selection of 90% bourbon and 10% sherry casks, this edition was bottled at a robust 57.9% ABV.
In typical Kilkerran style, there is a citrus element on the nose with notes of lemon and key lime pie, along with touches of toasted rye bread and peat smoke.
There are notes of toasted marshmallows and campfire embers immediately on the palate, with hints of vanilla and custard.
The smokiness carries through to the finish, along with a mineral note to round off this dram.
On the nose this is warm oat and raisin cookie, the pear comes second for me and completes the well rounded baked notes really well. They’ve also managed to control that 60%, it’s not aggressive by any means. It’s wonderfully rounded, this also isn’t a peat monster. Definitely waves of peppery bacon smoke but it’s complimentary of the oily baked fruits, no doubt the 60% helps these flavours hit 11. I’m onboard with this for sure! Also for under £40 a 60% from Campbeltown deserves you’re attention if not just for that!!
One of the fascinating things about Scotch Whisky is the differing opinions and personal likes and dislikes. Unlike the first poster - i find this expression - fantastic. I too am a fan of the Kilkerran 8 and the 12 , but i find this to be the best. Plenty of peat for my taste and my shelf always has Big Peat, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Peat Chimney and smokehed open. Warm and full of flavor - even though it is young (just squeaking through at 3 year old would be my guess). Toffee on the nose. A very flavousome and peaty whisky at a great price. well done Kilkerran - 3 bottles down and i keep going back to this.
I'll start by saying that usually I like Kilkerran: I enjoyed a couple of the Work in Progress bottlings, I have a bottle of the 12 and 8 yo and find them really tasty. I also enjoy peaty whiskies and always have Laphroaig and Ardbeg etc in my collection. However, this whisky just doesn't impress me at all - it just seems so ... unfinished. I was very disappointed when I first tried it so I left for a while and went back to it periodically but it just hasn't got any better. I keep thinking .... where's the peat in this 'heavily peated' dram? I'm sorry to be writing a negative review about Kilkerran but, frankly, this shouldn't have been released in my opinion - it's doing the distillery a dis-service.
