Kilchoman 16 Year Old Limited Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
A momentous release for the distillery and super limited in Australia is Kilchoman's first ever 16-year-old bottling. Created from a combination of twenty one casks (mostly ex-bourbon barrels, with a smaller number of ex-oloroso), like most of the output from this distillery, it's peated to 50 ppm and bottled at 50% ABV. Global allocations mean stocks won't last long. Non chill filtered. Collectable.
Other reviews... Can you believe it, sixteen years already, and even more! This is a combination of oloroso sherry butts and bourbon. Quite classic, really. Let's hope the freshness hasn't been lost (S., you have to decide, do you want age or not?) Colour: deep gold. Nose: we know these batches, we know they were well peated, so we are quite surprised to discover such a soft, civilized Kilchoman, leaning towards mint, chocolate, smoked ham, crème caramel, and old white Burgundy… With water: I'll be honest, I know comparisons are not always reasonable, but this time I would have said a Port Ellen of a similar age and reduction. Off the top of my head. Mouth (neat): it feels like a slightly accelerated ageing, it could really be a 25-year-old from a southern Islay distillery. Which means it's very good, just slightly disconcerting. Maybe because of the reduction? A smoky and lemony caramel side, followed by tar, raw ham, and smoked bacon. With water: same, that 'PE' side comes out after reduction. Finish: long, graceful, and very beautiful. Comments: it's going to be quite a challenge to compare all the Islay distilleries at a similar age and in their peated versions (I say this for those from the east). Vishnu, help us! Meanwhile, this K. is really very, very beautiful, all things considered. 90 points - whiskyfun.com
Notes from the producers... Nose: Delightfully rich, with a creamy citrus sweetness and layers of cooked apples, pears, plums and nutmeg. Palate: A masterful balance of festive spices, fresh vanilla, tropical fruit and smouldering peat smoke. Finish: Dried mango and apricots with bbq smoke and lasting mouth-coating honey sweetness.