Kilchoman Port Cask Matured (2018 Edition)

After sampling two rum finished whiskeys on a recent visit to the Copper and Oak in NYC, I decided to shift gears for my third and final dram, selecting the Kilchoman Port Cask Matured. I've read the previous reviews here, many rather middling.  Nevertheless, Kilchoman combined with port summoned me like the Sirens' song.  While I didn't find myself dashed on the proverbial rocks, I quickly understood the ambivalence.   Dram by dram, I've become a big fan of this distillery.  Kilchoman whiskies are robust and bold, but like a great blues guitar solo, there's plenty of space between the notes.  It makes for a lovely drinking experience.  That space is not present with the Port Cask Matured.  The palate comes across as distinct and competing bombs of sweetness and smoke that bleed all over each other.  Nuance and complexity suffer accordingly. I wouldn't say this is a bad whisky.  But unlike  the Kilchomans I love, it doesn't present as an exceptionally well crafted dram.

Kilchoman. I was first introduced to Kilchoman through their Machir Bay and was thoroughly impressed by this Islay newcomer. The Sanig and Loch Gorm are impressive in and of themselves. Port finished whiskies are can be tricky. Either too fruity or sparsely influenced. Done right, and the sweet and spicy balance can be rewarding. Throw in some Smokey peat and maritime brine and you may find nirvana. The color is shiny copper penny with a purplish hue. A light, sweet smoke greets you and draws you in. Cotton candy melted on hickory smoked bacon. The port cask influence comes through providing the fruits to the sweet smoke. Plumbs, strawberry jam, orange marmalade, apples and raisins. As you keep drawing aromas, more sweetness melds with the aromas. Vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee and salted caramels. The maritime quality always present which makes a sweet and savory nose. A small amount of baking spice provides a slight counter to the sweetness. Cinnamon, allspice, black pepper and nutmeg. Not distracting but synergetic. When you draw this onto the palate, a bit of confusion takes hold. The complex, full nose is juxtaposed by a palate that is thin and light. Initially, a spicy sensation of pins and needles is felt. Peppered oak smoked meat (pastrami?) with thin flavorings fruity flavorings. Grapes, vanilla, grilled stone fruits with dark chocolate shavings. The palate is nicely left with a sooty, charcoaled, ashy flavors, but not overtly so, with drying oak tannins. This finish fades slowly for what seems everlasting. One of the most complex and drawing noses that can be nosed all day. The thinness of the body and the comparatively sparse flavors is somewhat of a let down, in the sense that I expected and wanted more flavors, given the complex nose. The sweetness, smoke and spice are nicely balanced. All in all, a well crafted scotch that doesn’t quite reach nirvana. However, this may make a fine Smokey summer sipper. Thanks @LeeEvolved for sharing. Another good whisky by Kilchoman. [87/100][Tasted: 7/25/19]

Pretty great.

Taste the port woody on the back end

Kilchoman tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, June 25th 2019: Whisky #5 Nose: The port note is instantly detectable with red berries and grapes clearly apparent along with rose-water and hibiscus tea. The Kilchoman distillate character is there but obscured by the sweet cask influence. As it sits and rests an earthy peat smoke develops along with a tinge of orange. Palate: Sweet, fruity and spicy arrival – dark honey, strawberry, cherry, plum, red grape, cinnamon (very faint), Turkish delight. The sweetness continues to build as it develops, with the focus squarely on the cask. It is balanced (but see below) and rounded with a spicy tang. Very supple and satisfying texture. Finish: Medium. Raisin fruitcake aftertaste with a little spicy smoke. Although I said the palate is balanced this needs more explanation because there are two clearly defined layers at work in this whisky. The foundation distillate (which is balanced and satisfying in its own right) and the very sweet and fulsome cask influence. Smoky whisky can work well with a hefty PX, port or sweet wine influence and when these elements all integrate you get something that is greater than the sum of the parts. However if the two components of distillate and cask don’t cooperate so well you are left with two easily distinguishable, and often competing, layers. That’s the case here. This does not necessarily produce bad whisky, but it is idiosyncratic. For those who have a sweet tooth and enjoy sherry-bombs or a heavily fruity finish to their whisky this could be just the thing. On the other hand if you prefer a dry profile or a balance between sweet and savory influences the whisky will seem unbalanced and over-sweet. Water does bring out more distillate floral notes on the nose. It also melds the palate a little and brings out a tiny hint of licorice, which for me was an improvement. One thing the port layer does do well here is modulate the smoke and keep it as a more subtle background note. I enjoyed tasting it, but it was too sweet for my palate and it's not a whisky I’d bother to buy. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

At Distillery 2018