Kilchoman celebrates its twentieth anniversary with a parcel of 20 casks chosen by Anthony Wills. They’re mixed into 4 vattings of 5 casks every, between 14 and 18 years outdated: two bourbon bottlings and two sherry bottlings.
I picked the 2 oldest releases: the 15 Yr Previous from ex-sherry casks and the 18 Yr Previous from ex-bourbon barrels.
Kilchoman 18 yo 2006 (46%, OB ’twentieth Anniversary Sequence’ 2025, bourbon casks #33, 146, 149, 155, 163, 3153 btl.)
Nostril: complicated and balanced. Numerous mentholated notes at first, with warming wooden smoke and a few dried grasses. Then rounder hints of vanilla and butterscotch, together with hints of peaches and citrus. A pleasant cask affect in spite of everything these years.
Mouth: nonetheless recent, with lots of peat smoke, citrus and mint leaves. Lemon notes, only a trace of caramel and smoked bacon. Then white pepper, hints of carbon and plaster, together with just a few briney drops. Nonetheless a little bit of peach sweetness within the background. There are flashes of Port Ellen, maybe greater than in different distilleries on Islay, though the modest ABV lowers the enjoyable a little bit.
End: medium, with extra coastal notes, slightyly acrid smoke and little bit of caramel sweetness to spherical it off.
A very good Kilchoman, the oldest ever bottled, or a minimum of the oldest that I do know of. Good all-round qualities, with the modest ABV as the one showstopper. Only a few bottles left in shops.
Kilchoman 15 yo 2008 + 2009 (52,7%, OB ’twentieth Anniversary Sequence’ 2025, sherry casks #644, 670 + 16, 444, 513, 1209 btl.)
Nostril: fairly darkish and caramelly, can we assume PX has an enormous share on this parcel? Molasses, figs and latte with vanilla syrup. Additionally caramelized nuts and mocha sweet. Hints of mead. Then warming smoke and a few black peppercorns. Hints of salt and citrus within the distance, countering the caramelly facet.
Mouth: an excellent kick, with lots of peppery smoke, tobacco leaves, a little bit of salt and a touch of roasted pineapple and blood orange. This mingles with lots of black cherries, cassis jam and figs. Hints of chocolate mints, transferring in direction of cocoa and leafy notes in the long run.
End: lengthy, with iodine, sooty notes and hints of darkish chocolate, in addition to drying tobacco leaves.
Fairly multi-faceted once more – a pleasant composition of sweeter and drier sherry casks. I could have to strive extra Kilchoman, though you’ll be able to’t deny these bottles aren’t precisely low cost. Additionally laborious to seek out. I purchased a pattern from Whiskysite.nl. Rating: 89/100
