Whisky: Kilkerran 12 Year (2006), Cadenhead’s Warehouse Tasting

Country/Region: Scotland/Campbeltown

ABV: 53.7%

Cask: Bourbon Barrel

Age: 12 Years (Distilled 21 April 2006, Bottled 2018)

Nose: Citrus fruits, mild cream, dried grass, beachy minerals, hints of coconut, wispy smoke, spirited and peppery.

Palate: Medium-bodied, citrus fruits, mellow brine and earth, beach minerals, peppery and spirited, herbal with a touch of grilled fruits.

Finish: Medium-length with peppery spirit, lemon, and beach sand.

Score: 6-7 (80)

Mental Image: Seaside Slushie Merchant

Narrative & Notes: Surfs up! Lemon and tangerines in a wash of briny surf— on the shore were earthier notes of dry patchy grass, sea shells, and sand. Coconut lotions arrived alongside wispy smoke and shrimp on the grill; a touch of lemon pepper and youthful spirit rounded things out.  Medium-bodied with vibrant oily citrus— lemons, limes, and bitter oranges mixed with plenty of sugar and transformed into a refreshing granita.  Mellow brine and earth with a minerality like collecting sea shells on the beach or crunching on a bit of sand. Peppery and a touch herbal toward the end, with hints of grilled pineapple and candied ginger.  The finish was medium-length with a touch of peppery spirit, lemon, and beachy sandy.

Vibrant and tasty, the flavors and aromas were clear and well-structured, with a prickly spirit providing some rough and raw character around the edges. This was simple but lovely and could have just as easily been a product of Springbank as the nearby Glengyle Distillery, as it lacked any real Kilkerran distinctiveness. A few drops of water dulled some of the youthful, peppery spirit and helped bring the whisky together with more tropical citrus.

Overall, a refreshing beach whisky.

Image Credit: Whiskybase