Kilchoman tasting evening at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, June 25th 2019: Whisky #1 Nose: Bright, crisp cereal aromas and a gentle fragrance of smoke are the first impressions. The smoke is not a strong medicinal peat-reek but rather a more restrained and floral smoky aroma. It’s reminiscent of campfire smoke some distance away, carrying the occasional waft of something lightly perfumed. There’s a musky tone like white marshmallows and some vanilla and citrus notes threading about. Palate: Smoky and fruity on the arrival – the smoke is much more apparent on the palate than the nose. As it develops, a seaweed note becomes apparent along with some citrus fruits and a background light butterscotch flavor. There is also some mild sweet chili sauce and ginger spice. Adding a dash of water mellows the spicy character and develops more fruit. The texture is pleasantly neutral. Finish: Medium. The subtle smoke that has been present from the first sniff gradually diminishes and gives way to the fruity notes and a sweet, crisp aftertaste. Overall this is an elegantly fresh young whisky with character and style. It’s mild, but not lightweight, with a bright nose that avoids being spirity or hard. It has a supple quality that is refreshing and brisk, but not acrid. It does seem very slightly disconnected, like a band that's not playing in the groove, but a dash of water files off any residual sharp edges, balances the profile and is highly recommended. In comparison to earlier bottlings of Machir Bay this release seems more refined. I recall sampling it 5 years ago and being struck by how obviously young it tasted, but that brashness has gone now. I was impressed by how well it compared to the rest of the whiskies on the evening and kept coming back for another taste. Machir Bay is part of Kilchoman's core range and it's arguably the most revealing expression of their distillate. Earlier bottlings had a year of release statement on the front label, but as far as I know this has not been so since 2014. Since then you have had to examine the back of the bottle to find the bottle code (this tasting was from a bottle of batch 18/54). “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)