Kilkerran 12 Year (2011), Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection
Whisky: Kilkerran 12 Year (2011), Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection
Country/Region: Scotland/Campbeltown
ABV: 56.8%
Cask: Bourbon Barrel
Age: 12 Years (Distilled 2011, Bottled Oct. 2024)
Nose: Maritime and citrusy, orange and lime, dry grass, chalk and mellow minerality, hints of musty barnyard.
Palate: Medium-bodied, buttery, tropical citrus, maritime brine, youthful and spirited, grassy sugars, hints of coconut, cracked peppercorns.
Finish: Medium-length and peppery with a kiss of salt and soft fruits.
Score: 7 (83)
Mental Image: Beach Bar Bovines
Narrative & Notes: The aroma of a margarita being prepared at a seaside bar hit me first— with citrusy lime, orange, salt, and a touch of tangy tequila. More dried grass, palm fronds, and chalky minerality lingered further in with a touch of barn, as if someone had ridden their carabao to the bar. Medium-bodied and buttery with plenty of tropical citrus, oranges and pineapples, adrift on a briny sea. Youthful and spirited with a peppery bite that popped on the mid-palate and lingered through on the finish. More fruit punch arrived at the end with a touch of grassy pandan sugar and dried coconut. The finish was medium-length and peppery with a kiss of salt and soft fruits.
The concise tasting notes Cadenhead’s provided for this bottle matched mine fairly closely which was not always the case for the other bottles. We both hit on the citrusy, fruit salad, cream, and mineral notes on the nose and palate. However, they noted a great deal more peat, especially on the nose and finish, while I found it more peppery and maritime— though perhaps those were two sides of the same coin.
Overall, raw and unrefined, this was a great example of Kilkerran absent heavy casking. I could go for more of this!
