Kilchoman Port Cask Matured (2018 Edition)

Feis Ile 2018 - Kilchoman update no. 5. I grabbed a sample of this from the distillery shop and was excited to try it out. In fact, it was the one I was most excited to taste. Unfortunately, a bit of a letdown here. The port finish doesn't add what I would have expected to Kilchoman's base spirit. The nose remains dry and earthy, with little sweetness: mushrooms, rice, odd savory notes abound. The palate is sweet, but the port leans toward adding medicinal sweet flavors, akin to Laphroaig. Again, unexpected. The finish features a burgeoning sweetness that combines with cinnamon spice and barley. The port tamped down the smoke in this release but really added some wild card flavors rather than the dark, rich fruits I anticipated. It's a strange dram, not unpleasant, but too surprising in odd ways to love while drinking. In comparison, the distillery exclusive PX cask showcased the crackling synergy possible with sweet and peat flavors.