Kilchoman Machir Bay

Peaty. Just peaty.

Bottled 2019

N: Campfire. P: Fruity. F: Spice and heat. Honey.

Nose: Sweet peat. Bananas, dragon fruit, mangoes. Wisps of campfire smoke and a rugged backbone of earthy peat. Brine. Black pepper, bell pepper, heather, orange blossoms, and honeysuckle. Oak, dark fruits, and toasted cereal grains. Lemon-lime. Creme fraiche. Deep and rich without being heavy or cloying. Palate: Toasted cereal grains. Strawberries coated in icing. Peaches, bananas. Campfire ash. Oak. Tannin. Stone fruits - there's the sherry cask. Fresh cut, wet grass. Dried basil and thyme. Eucalyptus. Wintergreen. Lime oil. Black pepper, smoked paprika. Earth. Canadian bacon, jamón ibérico. Oily but clean finish. Starts off with ash, green bell peppers, and black pepper. As things shift, plums and peaches show up, along with some blueberries. That base of ash hangs out. Mint shows up. Then things end with a dance between vanilla, fruit, mint, and citrus oils, while ash, earthy peat, and salt prop everything else up. Other notes: This hits the same notes and has all of the expressiveness of, say, Laphroaig 10 or Ardbeg An Oa, but with the drama turned down a notch or two - which I really enjoy. This is definitely Islay, make no mistake. This has the brine, the earth, the ash, but everything is wrapped in a slightly different package. Friendlier, but still complex. Bourbon barrels dominate here, but the influence of the sherry casks help bring some balance to the party that are definitely welcome. Well worth the price of admission.