Kilkerran Heavily Peated "Peat in Progress Batch 4"
Whisky: Kilkerran Heavily Peated "Peat in Progress Batch 4"
Country/Region: Scotland/Campbeltown
ABV: 58.6%
Cask: Bourbon (80%), Sherry (20%)
Age: NAS (Bottled 4 June 2021)
Nose: Rich and dirty, salted caramel, charred fruits, meat, tractors and dirty shop rags, musty earth and barnyard straw.
Palate: Medium-bodied, charred fruit, smoked tea, caramel, honeycomb, slightly metallic, earthy.
Finish: Medium-length with grilled fruit, wispy smoke, and mild earth.
Score: 7 (83)
Mental Image: Barbecue’d Fruit Buffet
Narrative & Notes: Rich and indulgent with ribbons of dark salted caramel, charred pineapples, and roasted pork. Further in was a tractor under repair; engine grease, soot, earth, and a tinge of rubber gaskets. A touch of barnyard straw and chocolate developed with more time or a few drops of water. Medium-bodied with charred fruits and smoked tea leaves— musty stacks of pu’er cakes, dried tangerines, and a touch of grilled peach and pineapple. Gooey caramel and honeycomb arrived with a metallic tinge as the profile turned richer and earthier with old scrolls and dusty archives. The finish was medium-length with grilled fruits, wispy smoke, and mild earth or old leather.
This was fruitier and sweeter than the previous batches of the “peat and progress” series with far more distinctive grill fruits coming alive on the aroma and the palate. It still had the same slightly funky earth and straw as some of the previous batches but toned down a good measure. At times, there was a somewhat fainty-fusel quality in the background, not really an off note as it matched with some of the industrial and tractor engine elements, but an uncommon element.
Overall, I have enjoyed all of the “peat in progress” batches I have been fortunate enough to try and cannot wait to see how that whisky continues to develop.
