Kilchoman Machir Bay

Smoky, peaty. Nice

N: Very fruit forward with fresh peach and pear. Light peat is pervasive - seems lighter here than other Kilchoman bottles. Lemon cake covered with dark berries in syrup. Hints of dark chocolate, toffee, and light roast coffee in the background. Over time, the peat develops a little more of that earthy, vegetable character that seems to come through in all of the Kilchoman bottles I've tried (now five). I've said before that the Kilchoman peat character reminds of Lagavulin, but softer in a way that's still very easy to appreciate - that holds true for this bottle. P: Smoked vanilla with stewed peach, pear, and cherry. Lemon curd with hot cinnamon toast. Gets pretty spicy around the mid-palate - it's a bourbon-like hot cinnamon candy type of heat. Good dose of oaky bitterness too. Finish brings some bitter, overcooked fruit, darker notes of chocolate and/or coffee, and maybe some cola. The heat fades out pretty quick - not a terribly hot finish, despite the peak at the mid-palate. Lots of simmering, wafting, smoky peat notes - cooked vegetables, dried earth, scorched pine needles - hang long after anything else. Lovely dram. Plenty of complexity. Well priced. There are better Islay whiskies out there, but this does everything it should do for the price - more than most of its competitors. I have to say I think I prefer the Sanaig as the Kilchoman character seems to do a little better with the sherry casks than the bourbon, but not by much. Regardless, I'd gladly recommend either. Side note: Not sure if there are or once were vintages of this (based on the various listings on this website/app), but there's nothing on this bottle that suggests it's an annual release. Stamp on the bottom suggests it was bottled in August 2021. So I guess it's a 2021 if there are vintages.

I don’t know if I’d run to buy this bottle, but it was a very easy sip.

Smooth lingering smoke, soft

Nose - fresh peat, rubber, lemon zest, tar, apple, honey, grass, strawberry, vanilla, sweet floral notes, white pepper, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - sweet peat, tar, honey, sour apple, brine, caramel, lemon pith, grapefruit, rubber, iodine, cinnamon, almond, grass, strawberry, black pepper, bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with sweet peat smoke, bitter citrus, and tar flavors. This is my first Kilchoman, and I have a weird beef with it. Every time I drink this one, I get a headache, even with a very small amount. I’ve never had that experience with any other quality spirit. Who knows, maybe it’s just coincidence. Regardless, I won’t hold that against it with my rating. This smells and tastes young, but not in a completely negative way. The nose is very bright and fresh with creosote, acrid smoke, apple, and a lemony zing. The palate is effervescent with sweet peat, honey, apple, and more lemon, but it turns bitter here. This leads to a relatively short and forgettable finish. Overall, this is better than average, but nothing special. Compared to another young Islay, Wee Beastie, I like this one less. It’s young, bright, and disappointingly sour and bitter heading into the finish. Never fear. I’m not giving up on Kilchoman just yet. I’ll be reviewing two more interesting expressions starting tomorrow.