Kilchoman 100% Islay (7th Edition)

Scotland, September 2017. Whisky #4, distillery tasting. Nose: Clean barley malt, cider vinegar, fresh oak (virgin?), mild smoke. The nose is gentle and crisp with a cereal aromas taking the centre starge. Palate: Smoky, oily citrus, sourdough bread. Salted nuts, A little astringent with some burn if undiluted. With water considerable sweetness emerges and the texture gains body. Finish: Long. Ashy smoke and licorice. Water opens up the nose and unleashes the smoke and some waxy peat. With dilution the palate is tamed and some sweetness appears. A brisk up-front whisky that lets you know exactly what it's about from the first sniff. For me, Kilchoman expressions have yet to achieve the balance and depth of the older established Islay whiskies but they are very well made and always interesting. I do prefer their more overtly smoky whiskies, however, and even a little time in sherry casks seems to work wonders with this distillate. It is good when aged completely in bourbon, as here, but it can tend to be a little austere and brittle. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)