Glengyle Distillery Kilkerran Heavily Peated Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Batch 13

Yes, it’s that time again. Brought to market twice a year at natural strength, Glengyle's Heavily Peated 2025 release continues the trend of using high-quality bourbon casks (90%) to provide a creamy, sweet base for Kilkerran's earthy peat smoke. The remainder comes out of sherry casks with the barley peated to around 45 ppm. It's reported that the distillery is pretty happy with this formula and has settled on it going forward. Those who've tasted it generally agree that the combination hits the mark (yet again), being at least as good or better than most previous batches. On allocation in Australia. Stocks are not expected to last long. 58.6% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... We were rather fond of Batch 12, also released this year (WF 87) Colour: pale gold. Nose: seriously powerful at first, brushing up against cologne, then slowly the candied lemons, oysters and iodine tincture take over, bringing a piercing, clean sharpness to the whole. With water: seawater, seaweed, plaster and beach sand at low tide. Mouth (neat): perfect, farmy, very lemony, with surprising notes of Toplexil, green pepper and salt. In the end, it’s all about purity. With water: really excellent, almost like pure oyster juice, just missing a few drops of Muscadet. Finish: very long, very vertical, salty, peppery and lemony to the point of excess, but we’re all for that. Slightly youthful on the aftertaste, with green pear and a touch of rubber. Comments: still just as good and properly peaty. We now await batch #14, likely due next year. 87 points - whiskyfun.com

...Heavy smoky peat, associated with distillate which is peppery, lemony, and long aftertaste. Quite different than batch 12, which has been open awhile and may have changed. Batch 12 doesn't seem as heavily peated. I like this better, although just opened, mainly because the distillate has better flavors. - whiskybase.com

Notes from the producers... Nose: Creamy butterscotch and notes of banana fritters and elderflower kick off this heavily peated dram. Palate: The peat smoke on the palate is complemented by notes of honeydew melon and Iberico ham. Finish:The smoke continues in the finish along with notes of verbena and honeycomb.