Kilchoman New Spirit Bramble Liqueur

Information on bottle: High percentage of real brambles (blackberries) macerated with Kilchoman single malt Scotch whisky, honey and Kilchoman new spirit. Nose: Lots of blackberries and smoke from the peat. Some malt. Palate: Extremely sweet blackberries, light taste of malt and more whisky notes shine through the sweetness. Little smoke. Finish: Short-medium, sweetness disappears slowly, smoke starts to come though and take over along with an earthy malt taste. Conclusion: This drink is not for everyone. Someone who is not used to peaty and smoky scotch will not like this, and a lot of peat lovers will criticise the sweetness. Personally I love the mixture of flavours! It really shows you what other great things whisky distilleries are able to make!

Appearance: Dark, almost opaque, crimson fading to clear red at the edges - rather like the colour of a merlot. Crystal clear with no particulate matter. Aroma: Wood smoke, like a fireplace or cabin stove burning wood. The faintest hint of something fruity. Palate and Texture: An agreeable combination of wood smoke and berry juice. It's sweet with some tart edges and not at all syrupy - something like cranberry juice. The aftertaste is smoky and slightly woody with the taste of berries lingering, but they are subtle. The texture is crisp and light. This liqueur is a combination of Kilchoman new-make spirit, bramble berries (blackberries) and honey. It took me a little by surprise as I was expecting the aroma to be heavily berry-scented but in fact it is just as pungently smoky as any of the Kilchoman whiskies and there is very little berry aroma. The texture was also a surprise as I'd thought it would be thick and syrupy, or at least rich like a PX sherry or port wine, however it's actually quite crisp and light. It's an interesting liqueur but probably not one for many palates. It's not at all unpleasant, but the combination of smoke and berries is unusual and it takes some getting used to. Initially I didn't much like it but after two small glasses I acquired the taste, and I think I'll enjoy a dram of this occasionally in place of a fortified wine (however I doubt that I'd buy a second bottle). Enjoyable neat, and also good over ice. It could be substituted for cassis in cocktails and lend an interesting smoky note - in fact it might make a killer tequila sunrise! "Above Average" : 81/100 (3 stars)