Kilchoman USA Small Batch No. 3

Nose - strawberry, orange blossom, ash, caramel, light peat, vanilla, fig, apricot, sweet floral notes, grass, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - strawberry, date, fig, ash, tar, apple, lemon, grass, sweet peat, vanilla, butterscotch, sweet floral notes, chili pepper, clove, apricot, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with strawberry, ash, and citrus zest flavors. Similar to the second USA Small Batch release, this is subtle and understated. It’s youthful, but not nearly as bright as Machir Bay. The port component is front and center on the nose and palate, with jammy strawberry and various dark fruits in the mix. There’s an ashy peatiness, but it takes a back seat to a sweet fruit punch quality. This is my third and final Kilchoman for now. Did I save the best for last? Well, it’s easily better than Machir Bay, but I’m not sure I like it more than the second USA Small Batch release. It’s close though. Both of these small batch releases are solid sippers and a decent value for money as well. Another thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for the sample. I’d like to try more Kilchoman releases, but I’m not really sure where to start. There seem to be so many that analysis paralysis sets in and I end up skipping them altogether.