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.