Kilchoman Red Wine Cask Matured (2017 Edition)

Kilchoman, that young islay distillery, that always make incredible whisky. They spirit has proven to be very complex and able to capture great tasting and aroma notes from the good casks they have selected. This one has been matured im red wine casks from the Duoro Valley in Portugal. Bottled at 50%abv, with a lovely reddish color. On the nose, you won't find anything better than this whisky. Fresh can of tennis balls, dry moss, plastic from water balloons. There is also chocolate with dulce de leche, Herbal spiciness, Red fruits and cigarretes. It is a rollercoaster, Lots of dulce de leche, chocolate and bubblegum. Crazy good. The palate is really a transition to the great aftertaste. Ashes right from the start. Salt. A second sip gave me red fruits, gooseberries and Pepper. Aftertaste is superb. Bonfire, salt, gunpowder. Very balanced and ashy. Overall, if you buy a Kilchoman, you will certainly love it. This single malt is a beutiful mixture between crazy peat profiles and sweet flavors. The palate wasn't my favorite, because it was too simple but it still managed to score a very well deserved 89 over 100.

I have a few peated whiskies like Port Askaig, Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and one Kilchoman (Machir Bay), so that is my reference. On the nose, this is very similar to Machir Bay or Ardbeg 10. Peat, saltiness, a little of sulfur, but then is followed by a sweetness like strawberry syrup (just not as sweet). I think the ABV is on target, at 50%. On the palate, we get smoke, pepper, spices, and fruity. The saltiness and peat hit you on the front, but not too strong, then the sweetness comes in and tones things down a bit. The finish is soft, although the peat and some mintiness stay with you for several minutes after the dram. In summary, I am glad that I got one of these bottles. It's interesting with sweetness and peat, but if this was a regular release, I doubt if I replaced it at the current price.

I have yet to taste a bad Kilchoman. The youngest of islay distilleries, at least to put whisky on the shelves, has proven me, on my third expression ever tasted, that they know how to make wonderful drams. This is the case of this young whisky, which was distilled on 2012 and bottled on 2017, using only red wine casks to mature it, and bottling it at a 50%abv strength. The first result of this type of maturation is wonderful chesnut color on it. Lets get to business, On the nose, it is a prophecy of what is going to come in the palate. Peat, grassy peat. Earthy. But just for a second. Then a sweet explosion comes to the game. Red fruits, cherries, strawberries. Herbal peat and rosemary. After first sip, sweetness intensifies into this maraschino cherry syrup, blackberries and starwberry notes. On the palate, it is a very interesting dram. On the middle of the tongue you'll get cherries and cinnamon, but surrounded of gun powder, sulphur and ashes. It all happens at the same time but in different parts of the tongue. The aftertaste, is also great. Smoky, super pleasant, but it definitively doesn't feel like 50%abv. Prune peel. Powerful salt and beach profile. Overall this is a very delicious dram, as well as an interesting one. Very balanced, 23 points on each criteria, makes this a 92 over 100. Sláinte!

Strong tastes. Very smooth. Nice subtle smokey after taste