ctbeck11
Kilchoman USA Small Batch No. 3
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
July 28, 2021 (edited August 2, 2021)
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.
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@Ctrexman I’ll need to pick one up soon. I know of a store around here that has a wall of them. Sanaig is probably a good place to start.
That said I agree Sanaig is better than the standard release
Kilchoman is quality across the board. I really think a full bottle is better to truly experience a whiskey
@cascode Looks like I’m leaning toward the more cask influenced versions of Kilchoman, so Sanaig and Loch Gorm would likely be more in my wheelhouse.
@Scott_E I like almost everything from Kilchoman but Sanaig and Loch Gorm are special - it just depends how much sherry influence you feel like on the day which one is better.
@jonwilkinson7309 Thanks! I’ll add those to my list. And it seems those strong jammy strawberry notes often accompany port finishes. I’ll need to actually try port one day and see if it’s the strawberry bomb I imagine it to be.
Great review! I agree - the port is very strong with this one. Like @Scott_E, I'm a big fan of the Loch Gorm. The 100% Islay is also very nice, but much different - more subtle.
@ContemplativeFox Seriously. Seems like when it rains, it pours with Kilchomans. Some places have none and others dedicate an entire shelf to them with 10+ releases.
@Scott_E @PBMichiganWolverine @dubz480 Thanks for all the recommendations! At least now I have a bit of direction. I’ll keep those on my radar for next time a run across a group of Kilchomans.
@PBMichiganWolverine @ctbeck11 @ContemplativeFox Also agree with @dubz480. But I did also like Loch Gorm as well (though on the higher price side)
@ContemplativeFox totally agree with @dubz480 ...the Sanaig is my favorite out of their core. But the one that made me go WOW, was their red wine finish, followed by their Sauternes finish. If you see those, grab them.
@dubz480 thanks for the recs!
@ContemplativeFox @ctbeck11 honestly for me the Sanaig is probably your best bet. Best of their core line IMO. The single Casks are really good too typically. For the money I really dig these small batch releases too. For $60 I enjoyed them!
I have that problem with kilchoman too - so many releases!