Reviews of scotch and world whiskies by a history professor, his wife, bird, and three cats.

Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength 2019 Ed.

Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength 2019 Ed.

Whisky : Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength 2019 Ed.

Country/Region : Scotland/Campbeltown

ABV : 57.1%

Cask : Re-Char Oloroso

Nose : Opens with a blast of rich oloroso: milk chocolate, fudge, raspberries, cherries, and candied oranges.  Deeper in meaty notes of pork, barbecue char, and cooking oil come through before new shoes, supple leather, and sulphur builds.

Palate : Full bodied with deep rich flavors and a slightly viscous mouthfeel.  Chocolate covered berries, sweet meaty char siu, and a mild burnt rubber note.  On the back end sits dry cocoa powder, freeze dried fruits, sliced kiwi, and smoke.

Finish :  Lingering chocolate and sulphur across the palate.


Score : 6

Mental Image : Flaming Char Siu.

Something Similar : Bunnahabhain 9 Year; Lady of the Glen (similar cocoa/coffee, less BBQ)

Something Similar : Ballechin 16 Year; Signatory (similar char siu/spice, more intense)

Something Similar : Balcones Brujería (similar sherry new shoes/dried fruits, more cola)


Notes :  Bold and in your face, this Kilkerran brought a hefty punch of rich Oloroso driven chocolate and dried fruit.  Lovely meat and peat notes occasionally surfaced along with a not unpleasant sulphur funk.  This was a young and punchy dram that hit a couple of notes really well, but was otherwise not terribly complex.  For such a young spirited malt, you cannot really hope for a lot more— this bottle really fits a particular mood when you just want rich flavors without a lot of complexity to distract you.  The other Kilkerran I have had have all been in a similar vein— they hit hard, but without a lot of depth.  Certainly an enjoyable bottle and a great pick up.  This is eminently drinkable at natural cask strength, but a few drops of water can really help bring forward more fruit and dispel some of the funkier notes.

Caol Ila 10 Year SMWS 53.305 “Totally tropical smoke”

Caol Ila 10 Year SMWS 53.305 “Totally tropical smoke”

Linkwood 12 Year SMWS 39.185 “Splinter-studded spanking”

Linkwood 12 Year SMWS 39.185 “Splinter-studded spanking”