To say I was excited to get my hands on the newest Kilchoman: Port Cask Matured was an understatement. I had visions of the Laphraoig 2013 Cairdeas and BenRiach Solstice (both 4.5-5 star drams) dancing in my head. Every Kilchoman I’ve tried to date has been great to fantastic. I’ve been extolling how the whisky world will be a better place once these guys get some 12-15 year juice to market, blah blah blah. Well... The 2018 version of the Port Cask, the second edition I believe, is not a very good malt. I’ve drank craft beer for well over a decade and I have grown to love sour beers. When a brewery accidentally bottles a sour that hasn’t finished fermenting it develops diacetyl acid and ruins the flavor of the beer. It leaves behind a fake, popcorn butter flavor that overpowers everything else. I get this flavor in this new batch of Kilchoman Port Cask. It’s so buttery it actually masks most of the traditional, Kilchoman smoke (which is one of the best on Islay IMO). I get some wine sweetness on the very backend of the palate, but it’s all laced with that butter and rich toffee flavor and is almost undrinkable. I finished the bottle but it was mostly done chasing it with better whisky, as to wash the flavor away. This is bottled at 50% ABV and cost me just under $90 to get a bottle shipped in from the UK. I believe it’s headed to North America by the end of summer, but I recommend you leave it sitting on the shelf. It’s just not good. It hasn’t ruined future Kilchoman for me, I hope it’s just a blemish on their excellent track record so far. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere- buy a Loch Gorm or Machir Bay instead. 2 stars. Cheers.