Nose - orange blossom, honey, light peat, lemon meringue, ash, vanilla, powdered sugar, strawberry, cinnamon, grass, peach, chili pepper, bitter herbal notes, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - toasted almond, tar, orange zest, grass, lemon, rubber, honey, apple, cinnamon, clove, strawberry, caramel, chili pepper, vanilla, floral notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with orange zest, tar, apple, and chili pepper flavors. After a lackluster experience yesterday with Machir Bay, I’m venturing into a few more interesting Kilchoman expressions, starting with this second USA Small Batch release. With the various cask types involved, I’m surprised by the nose’s light and subtle presentation. That young Kilchoman backbone is detectable, but it’s more elegant and refined here. The harsh lemon of the Machir Bay is softened to aromatic orange blossom and meringue. Similarly, the palate has a softer touch. Toasted almond, orange zest, baking spices, and chili pepper rise above the mist. This is certainly an improvement over Machir Bay, and at around the same price, it’s a winner. It still tastes young, but the different cask maturations work to dampen the brightness and bring out more complex aromas and flavors. Overall, this is good whisky, but not outstanding whisky. I’ll wrap up my Kilchoman review miniseries tomorrow with the third USA Small Batch release. And a big thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for the sample.