Kilkerran 12 Year

If medieval monks made scotch, it'd be Kilkerran 12. The monks wouldn't have chill filtering or artificial colors, of course. And perhaps the more artistic among them would even make a label akin to this elegant, black-and-white statement. Never change, Kilkerran. Don't let the ad executives and marketing department corrupt this scotch. There's a lot to love here on the nose: tropical fruit, high minerality, earthy peat, soil, vanilla, and sherry. This scotch is similar to Kilchoman Machir Bay but a little fruitier, and a little less smoky. It has the earthy, "farmy" characteristic that's often associated with Campbeltown scotches. This is a sweet and floral take on a peated scotch, with a lot of pepper and spice starting in the mid-palate. It's got a Highland single malt character at the beginning, but those flavors roll deep. The acidic lemon-lime notes that are common to Islay and Campbeltown scotches stand out immediately, yet this dram shifts between the citrus fruits, sometimes coming closer to grapefruit. The texture is oily and almost feels like there's some grittiness to it -- not in a bad way, just because some of that minerality carries through to the palate as well. The sherried finish here is reminiscent of Bunnahabhain 12, but with little wisps of smoke and mint, and a generous shake of pepper. Fresh green wood lingers the longest. It has a bit too much of that citrus acid in my opinion, which knocks it down one peg below the Ardbegs and Kilchomans of the world. That being said, this is a stellar 12-year scotch with an interesting interplay of flavors. For what it's worth, it also was the biggest hit at a party with a bunch of friends, so Kilkerran hits that sweet spot where a lot of different palates find it enjoyable.

Thanks to Dreaming of Islay for the sample. Hmmm! This is different than anything else I've ever tried. Nose has pleasant light fruit elements (apple/pear) with a floral hue, but balanced. The peat comes in from the side. On the palate, wow, this is also balanced, most likely due to the fact that they did this justice getting this to 46% ABV. I typically wouldn't like floral notes to a whisky, but the slight smokiness of this with its masterful orchestra of the salty brine seems to give you a nice experience. I've never tried their "works in progress" offerings, but this would not make me scared to do so. Water on this will probably kill the smoke, unless you want a fruitier taste. The sherried casks might not be up front here, but I do think that they play an important support role. My God, the buttery finish is neverending, I adore it! Glengyle being a sister distillery to the outstanding Springbank does not surprise me, but can someone please tell me why this one was discontinued? I hope it's just going to be replaced? The theme to this dram should be "This Modern Love" by Bloc Party, and thanks to @SolanaRoots for the track recommendation!

fruity, warm, slightly Smokey ok