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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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November 19, 2024
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Quelques Kilkerran
We have put the title in French as a result of it provides us an alliteration, which is the favorite crutch of authors who’re both fairly awful or very drained. There we’ve it. Except for that, we’re set to style some Springbank quickly, however at present we’d relatively savour its youthful sibling, Glengyle/Kilkerran, which was refurbished and relaunched in 2004, if reminiscence serves me proper. By the best way, whereas unbiased Springbank bottlings are simple to come back by – typically expensive however glorious – I don’t assume I’ve ever managed to come back throughout an unbiased Kilkerran, aside from these by WM Cadenhead, after all.
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Kilkerran 8 yo ‘Sherry Cask Matured’ (57.4%, OB, oloroso, 2024) 
We have been fairly taken by the 2022 launch (WF 88). Color: gold. Nostril: that is under no circumstances a heavy, smothering oloroso; relatively, it opens with gunflint and smoked ham, adopted by stewed rhubarb and white currants, bringing a stunning freshness. A contact of tobacco, espresso, and leather-based, however all dealt with with a light-weight contact. With water: notes of lemon and a touch of lard, chalk, courgette flower, and uncooked wool (let’s say a brand new jumper out of your favorite label—Gucci, for those who should). Mouth (neat): immensely highly effective but vigorous and refined, with a saline and mineral profile harking back to sure finos. Tobacco and a rooty character (gentian, celery). With water: beautifully salty, with kirsch, inexperienced peppercorns, and bitter almonds—my favourites. End: lengthy, echoing these mineral smoky notes. Feedback: not a single motive to deviate from the rating of two years in the past. I do fairly like this tense, vibrant sherry.
SGP:563 – 88 factors. |
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Kilkerran ‘Closely Peated Batch 10’ (57.8%, OB, 2024) 
Predominantly ex-bourbon (90%). Whereas NAS, the pricing stays honest if the standard holds up (€65-70). Color: gentle gold. Nostril: more energizing than its sherried counterpart and distinctly youthful, with hints of medicinal alcohol, tincture of iodine, damp earth, a good quantity of baker’s yeast, and lime juice. The peat is notably much less aggressive than the ‘closely peated’ moniker may recommend. With water: a lot the identical, with younger spirit notes, bandages, and a contact of antiseptic (mercurochrome). Mouth (neat): youthful, showcasing eau-de-vie (Gravenstein apples), lemon, inexperienced pepper, and unripe walnuts. Barely sharp. With water: that eau-de-vie high quality persists, bordering on new-make, which, I have to admit, has its appeal. Recent mushrooms make an look, whereas the peat stays comparatively restrained. End: lengthy, youthful, lemony, with walnut and apple peel. Feedback: I do take pleasure in this, although a contact extra maturity would elevate it additional. Not overly ferocious, both.
SGP:555 – 85 factors. |
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And final yr’s whereas we’re at it…
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Kilkerran ‘Closely Peated Batch 9’ (59.2%, OB, 2023)
Let’s have a look at if we’re shut, very shut, or extraordinarily shut—purely within the title of scientific inquiry, naturally. Color: gentle gold. Nostril: we’re certainly very shut, with this batch providing a contact extra fruitiness (pear) and barely much less medicinal edge. Much less tincture of iodine and mercurochrome, for those who like. With water: notes of damp earth and baker’s yeast seem, alongside a touch of vanilla. Mouth (neat): even nearer to Batch 10 right here, with the identical recent, oily peat, barely vegetal (rapeseed oil maybe?) and a vibrant squeeze of lemon. It’s genuinely pleasant. With water: actually pleasant, zesty, and lemony with a ‘inexperienced’ type of peatiness—if that is smart. It’s extra medicinal on the palate than it’s on the nostril. End: a contact of boot polish, hints of lime liqueur and inexperienced pepper, smoke, and a touch of amaro. Feedback: merely superb. When holding each glasses aspect by aspect, I’ve a slight choice for Batch 9 over Batch 10, however they’re very shut.
SGP:555 – 86 factors. |
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Whereas we’re at it, once more purely for scientific functions…
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Kilkerran ‘Closely Peated – Peat in Progress – Batch 5’ (57.7%, OB, 2021)
Peat in Progress? An intriguing notion, isn’t it? One wonders if it refers to an incremental infusion of peaty water into the casks or the addition of peat-like precursors throughout wort or wash levels. Color: pale straw. Nostril: this batch leans in the direction of a richer, extra oil-laden profile, adorned with refined floral hints and a contact of furnishings polish. Surprisingly, it comes throughout as extra refined and even a tad extra mature than later batches, reminiscent of 9 and 10. With water: we return to that rugged type acquainted from earlier editions, evoking freshly shorn sheep’s wool and a chalky minerality. Mouth (neat): a totally pleasant dram, exhibiting a sharper, greener, and distinctly peppery character, with vigorous lemon zest. With water: maybe my favorite iteration, although narrowly so. The profile turns into cleaner and divulges fewer immature notes, although I have to say, youth is just not usually bothersome to me. End: briny whispers of seawater, crisp inexperienced apples, and a contact of bitter herbs – undeniably interesting. Feedback: with out the sooner batches readily available, one could be tempted to marvel if this might flirt with the 90-point border. However, it’s clear that each one three releases are glorious in their very own proper.
SGP:555 – 87 factors. |
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