Black Bull Kyloe (Duncan Taylor)

Citrus, cider, effervescent

Strong oak with a pleated start mid is a little sweet and fruity.

The malt/chocolate are most evident in my taster. A bit of a bite, and the 100 proof is apparent. Part of a tasting set, and probably wouldn’t buy a full bottle, but it’s decent.

Strong fruity taste, strong drink (50% ABV).

Nose: Light malty cereal, buttered toast, orchard fruits, oil of cloves and grapefruit peel in equal measure. There is a slight alcohol prickle, but it's not unpleasant. A dash of water mellows the nose, but ethanol is still quite noticeable. Palate: Bright arrival with crisp barley sugar notes. The development dramatically expands this with billowing, dusty barley - it's almost like diving head-first into a grain hopper. There is a sudden rush of hot chili and ginger spice together with a lot of tannin, and this is intensified by the relatively high abv. The texture is neutral. The addition of water greatly tames and softens the palate, modulating the bright spicy notes and giving the dram a more rounded character, with sweeter lemon notes coming through. Finish: Medium/Short. Spicy cereal through into the dry aftertaste, with some mildly bitter notes. An interesting blend with a very fresh, bold delivery and a clean presentation. It has its own charm but you never lose the impression that although it is a good quality whisky it is also rather young. It lacks the depth of a single malt and the grain whisky contribution is rather bracing. However, that said, it does have a well defined profile and there is certainly character here. I thought it was better suited to mixing rather than neat sipping. Over ice and with a splash of soda water it is most pleasant and refreshing, and I imagine it would work very well indeed in cocktails where its forward character would make a strong and agreeable statement. Whether or not this is worth a try would depend entirely on how much it costs in your area. At the standard retail price of AUS$70 it's just a bit expensive in my opinion, but if you found it for around $50 and were in the mood for something bright and crisp it would be a good buy. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)