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| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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June 3, 2021
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The vicarious Feis Ile classes
Right this moment Kilchoman
Celebrating Islay and Feis Ile from Whisky Enjoyable Towers, with rigorously chosen whiskies from most distilleries, whereas we’re all dreaming of 2022…
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I used to be on the distillery’s nice inauguration and it was nice enjoyable. The individuals have been nice, some very humorous. I am going to all the time bear in mind the humorous expressions on the faces of many an awesome previous Ileach, together with some humorous but nice well-established distillers who have been sniggering within the nice enjoyable corners. Good, I promise I am going to strive to not use each the phrase ‘nice’ and the phrase ‘enjoyable’ in these tasting notes…
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Kilchoman ‘Loch Gorm 2020’ (46%, OB) 
One in all my favorite, if not my favorite Kilchomanian expression, regardless of the sherry that is inside – they do nonetheless use sherry, do not they? Now I have not tried Loch Gorm because the 2017 model (at least WF 89). Color: deep gold. Nostril: certain, naturally, in fact, this gorgeous Lagavulinian tar, these new wellies, these black cigars, these rollmops and smoked herring, the olives – most black, and black olives matter! (S., zero factors for that one) – then every kind of brine. They’re mastering this type to perfection. Mouth: numerous salted tar, or tarry salt, then lemon and simply seawater. Enormous a great deal of ashes too, as if they’d emptied the stays of an previous kiln and added the ashes to those casks. End: lengthy, salt very ashy. Completely big salty liquorice within the aftertaste. Feedback: I suppose they have not harmed any purple wines right here, and maybe noy even PX. Nonetheless sensible, juts maybe not as fats(tish) than earlier expressions however I am not evaluating them right here whereas solely comparability is cause.
SGP:367 – 89 factors. |
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Kilchoman ‘Fino Sherry Matured’ (46%, OB, Batch 3, 2020)
This can be a vatting of 11 first fill casks +1 refill (LOL) seasoned with Fino by bodega José & Miguel Martin in Jerez. Color: straw. Nostril: inexperienced olives these time, contact of mustard, recent – not inexperienced – walnuts, lambswool, dill and coriander, seawater, then slightly rounder fruits, greengages, different fruits, additionally sunflower and sesame oils, plasticine… Mouth: slightly wilder than the Loch Gorm, saltier but, virtually a little bit acidic, with star fruits and granny smith, brine and ashes, uncooked cocoa, 90% chocolate, floor espresso beans, some bitter liquorice wooden, plus, this time, inexperienced walnuts in abundance. End: slightly lengthy, sharp, ashy and bitter. Extra liquorice wooden, nocino liqueur, stuff like that. The concept of ‘fino’ was completely transposed. Feedback: sensible, I simply preferred the Loch Gorm a tad higher as a result of it was a tad simpler. I do know, I do know… However each usually are not completely dissimilar.
SGP:367 – 88 factors. |
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Kilchoman 2010/2019 ‘Classic’ (48%, OB, 15,000 bottles) 
42 barrels plus 3 butts on this one (sources diverge on these numbers), that is about the appropriate proportions in my e book. Nah… Color: straw. Nostril: gentler and rounder, in all probability narrower, but additionally cleaner. Extra basic chalk, wool, lemons, seawater, oysters, hessian… Mouth: simply cross the island in direction of the East and you might discover a twin distillate (though distilleries are opposed). Ashes, seafood, grapefruits, brine, inexperienced olives, and a few sweetness, round jelly infants. The purple ones. End: medium, ultra-clean, brine-y. Barbecued marshmallows – bear in mind after we have been boy scouts? Feedback: one other glorious one, simply maybe a tad much less profound? Extra consensual?
SGP:467 – 87 factors. |
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We had a simple begin however some whackier single cask wineskies could quickly arrive, we’ll see…
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Kilchoman ‘100% Islay tenth Version’ (50%, OB, 12,400 bottles, 2020)
Loch Gorm used to defeat these ones honest and sq. in my e book, however that was fairly some years in the past. It is true that we’ve not correctly tackled Kilchoman for years. Color: white wine. Nostril: millimetric, ultra-precise, fantastically easy, and slightly extra medicinal than the others. There’s additionally a waxy/citrusy character that can’t not make us consider some vintages of Clynelish, solely with extra smoke, you are proper. That is intriguing… With water: no, water made it a lot brinier and extra on grass and seaweed. Mouth (neat): mild and certainly medicinal. Notes of ‘cider pears’, iodine, new cloth, then greengages and gooseberries. No Clynelish in sight this time. With water: oh, citrus and waxes! And numerous salt. End: slightly lengthy, on salted limoncello mix with Wulong ta, maybe. Feedback: have this one undiluted on the nostril and diluted on the palate. That is simpler to do than the opposite approach ‘spherical, is it not!
SGP:367 – 85 factors. |
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Kilchoman 13 yo 2007/2020 (55.3%, OB for Max & Julia, recent bourbon barrel, cask #69, 215 bottles)
A single barrel, that is nonetheless fairly innocuous… Color: straw. Nostril: very ‘younger’, on smoked pears, apples, with some hessian and uncooked wool, smoky grist, numerous creosote, new rubber, numerous iodine, then rising notes of roots, particularly lower celeriac, additionally recent turmeric, white carrots… All issues that I have a tendency to love and that I’d fortunately pour over sushi. With water: shoe polish and tar remover, then some gentler hay wine, a chic drink they make on the opposite aspect of the Vosges mountains (must be served at 8°C, having mentioned that). Mouth (neat): a superb younger peaty make. I agree it’s not younger, nevertheless it does really feel younger, extraordinarily ashy, uncooked, quarrelsome, virtually ethanoly… That is all a little bit shocking. With water: will get very ashy, then again in the event you like ashy malts, you possibly can actually drown it, it might nonetheless keep its place. End: lengthy, very salty, pure, and no matter meaning, very ‘Islay’. Feedback: vivid, barely boisterous, rustic Kilchoman with an adolescent mentality.
SGP:467 – 88 factors. |
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Kilchoman 8 yo 2011/2019 (56.3%, OB, for Mizunara Hong Kong, Madeira end, cask #767)
All the time 50ppm peat proper after malting. Color: deep gold. Nostril: typical slightly daring notes of inexperienced walnuts and mustard that you possibly can generally mistake for manzanilla, or no less than fino. That mingles properly with heavy peat as a result of it is just about with none sweetness, while it is vastly on seawater and iodine. Having mentioned that, after a great 5 minutes, some notes of bananas flambéed have been unleashed… Was it really candy malmsey? Let’s examine… With water: I couldn’t let you know. Enormous iodine with touches of wasabi and inexperienced walnuts, plus whiffs of cowshed. Tends to turn into very farmy, which is not shocking whenever you knew the place. Mouth (neat): punchy, peppery and candy, this time you do really feel the wine’s affect. Mustard, toothpaste, williams pears, pepper and ashes are enjoying along with your gums. Uncommon. With water: sweeter touches, I would virtually point out sultanas. At some point, we’ll actually need to attempt to peat-smoke raisins. End: lengthy and slightly mustardy. Black radish within the aftertaste. Feedback: big, virtually belligerent dram that may merely work on us. It is simply that we cannot down a pint of this. I imply, in a single go (what a braggart!)
SGP:367 – 88 factors. |
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Lets go on for a short while? Between us, we have been having numerous Ks, however shh…
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.jpg "Kilchoman 2007/2019 (55.6%, OB for Malts of Scotland, bourbon barrel, cask #151, 236 bottles)")
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Kilchoman 2007/2019 (55.6%, OB for Malts of Scotland, bourbon barrel, cask #151, 236 bottles)
Nothing might go incorrect with this bottling for an awesome German (excuse me, Westphalian) whisky home. Color: gold. Nostril: pure, plain, oily, on grist, chalk, lemon, recent bread, some grassy smoke (backyard bonfire) and a fermentary aspect (weissbeer). With water: identical. And damp earth underneath your boots after an extended stroll to Machir. Mouth (neat): glorious, on lemon juice, chalky sauvignon blanc, and with clearly one thing of that massive distillery nearer to Port Askaig. Particularly ashes. With water: glorious, with kippers and anchovies chiming in. End: slightly lengthy, very salty and very coastal. Probably the most coastal of all of them this far. Feedback: ausgezeichnet. Excuse me, I imply, glorious.
SGP:457 – 89 factors. |
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Appears to be like like we’re flirting with the 90-line once more now…
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Kilchoman 2007/2019 (56.5%, OB, for The Whisky Alternate twentieth Anniversary, bourbon, cask #307) 
What, I hadn’t tried this one? Color: white wine. Nostril: pure, crystalline colza oil with lemon juice, oysters and jut damp earth and peat smoke. Moderately constructivist, virtually Malevitchian in its utter simplicity. I’ve a great feeling right here. With water: bandages, calx and chalk. Mouth (neat): ultra-tight liquoricy and mentholy smoke with chalk, lemon and sourdough. Oh and ashes. With water: a lemony blade. This time, perfection’s been achieved. End: big simplicity and demonstrativeness, I’d say. Feedback: Jansenist malt whisky. I do not suppose you possibly can do significantly better with a younger Kilchoman. Effectively all Kilchomans are younger anyway.
SGP:467 – 90 factors. |
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By the way in which, we preserve pondering of John McLellan, who went to Kilchoman after his wonderous Bunnahabhain days.
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Kilchoman 2011/2017 ‘100% Islay’ (59.4%, OB for Tasttoe, bourbon, cask #486, 266 bottles)
This needs to be comparatively rugous and rustic, however we’re not immune from good surprises… Color: gentle white wine (certainly). Nostril: vanilla and marshmallows, with drops of williams pear liqueur (we make the very best in Alsace! In fact we do!) and a few type of grassier Turkish delights. Effectively undecided about that half. What’s clear is that that is by far the least peaty Okay. we have tried thus far. I imply, in the present day. With water: we’d nonetheless be in near-newmake territory and what’s humorous is that the extra water you add, the extra it might chunk your nostril. Mouth: very candy, with some smoked bubblegum. I am certain nobody’s ever tried to smoke bubblegum (perhaps the Mexicans?) however I am certain you get the image. With water: very younger however superb. It is z type. Candy branches, roots, manioc, plantains, salted almonds, sweetened gentian, (yeah, gentian liqueur)… End: lengthy, candy and smoky on the identical time. Feedback: the sweetest of all of them. Flying fairly excessive, already.
SGP:557 – 86 factors. |
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Kilchoman 2012/2019 (56.3%, for Holy Dram Israel, Madeira cask end, cask #180, 258 bottles)
Aren’t all drams holy? Color: deep gold. Nostril: typical Madeira, and I imply Madeira as in whisky, as Glenmo used to do it once they first put in large-scale finishings. I bear in mind the Madeira was my favorite (while the Burgundy, if I bear in mind properly, was plainly putrid rotgut). So, walnut cake straight from the oven, with touches of curry and mustard. With water: the saltiness comes out and as soon as once more, Madeira may very well be mistaken for fino and even manzanilla. Mouth (neat): superb, very properly built-in, with some added caramel that is been salted and blended with floor pecans and peanuts. All the time some softer mustard, curry and walnuts too. With water: will get softer however as tense as ever on the identical time, with the peat protecting all this dry and tight. Olives. Glorious. End: fairly lengthy, I am reminded of a recipe by Tupperware (yep), which was known as the ‘Olive Cake’. A cake de la muerte, I let you know. Feedback: whether or not that is holy or not, and boy do I often discover finishings inferior, this wee Okay. simply rocks. Effectively completed, would I say.
SGP:567 – 89 factors. |
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It is about time to place an finish to this Kilchomadness. Maybe with one other Loch Gorm?
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Kilchoman ‘Loch Gorm 2018’ (46%, OB, 15,000 bottles)
Boy, at least 19 oloroso butts have been used right here, because it appears. However who’s counting? Color: deep gold. Nostril: no, no matter individuals say, and whichever the costs, the Loch Gorms are simply there, sitting on the highest. And as soon as once more, I discover this one near Lagavulin 16, even I could should constitution a jet and fly incognito to Islay subsequent time; certainly there’s not a sacrifice we’ll not make to get there. Good tar, salted liquorice, and walnuts. Mouth: completely glorious, salty, walnutty, with notes of greens (properly, artichokes and eggplants) and essentially the most fantastic salty and smoky earthiness. End: lengthy, on salted and peated oloroso (S., that is the entire concept within the first place, no?) Feedback: there’s one thing that simply clicks with this 80€ expression. I’d say this needs to be the flagship expression, so Kilchoman’s Lagavulin 16. Did not I simply signal my loss of life warrant?
SGP:367 – 89 factors. |
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Good, we’ll preserve all the opposite Ks we have for our subsequent Okay session
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(Merci Nicolas, merci Tim)
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Over to Angus in Edinburgh…
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Kilchoman 13 yo 2007/2021 (53.9%, OB for The Whisky Alternate, cask #197, bourbon, 204 bottles) 
Color: straw. Nostril: surprisingly mild and fragrant nostril that begins on extra mineral elements like bathtub salts, seaside pebbles, chalk and a slightly crisp impression of trailing bonfire smoke. I additionally discover some lime juice, white flowers and seaside sand. A really beautiful first impression. With water: sandalwood, moist rope, recent linens, chalk once more and crushed seashells. Contemporary, pure and nonetheless displaying this delicate mineral aspect that is very engaging. Mouth: the cask is a bit more assertive on arrival, fairly a little bit of creamy and candy peat, creosote, pure tar, smoked vanilla, white pepper, hessian and smoked olive oil. A pleasant swap round from the preliminary nostril. With water: a little bit sharper and extra tense, which works very properly. Some seawater, grapefruit, hay loft and a contact of salted mead and preserved lemon. End: lengthy, brightly smoky, peppery, saline, evenly farmy with extra of those hay loft impressions and a little bit coal smoke. Feedback: Kilchoman is actually hitting its stride with these batches. I discover this one extraordinarily approachable, straightforward and charming however with a great stage of complexity that retains issues entertaining.
SGP: 466 – 88 factors.
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