Overview
I bought this whisky in 2011 on a trip to (the then brand new) Kilchoman distillery. My wife drove me and my daughter there, where both myself and my 7-year-old went on a pony trek (at the distillery’s stables… now long gone), then we had a tour, daddy got drunk and mummy drove us all home. Great days.
I love provenance, and you can’t argue with growing the barley on Islay, malting it there, bottling etc. however this is just 3 years old, barely legal in terms of the name ‘whisky’. During our tour, we were initially given raw new spirit to taste as part of the ‘journey’ of their whisky. Then when you taste something 3 years old it tastes old and sophisticated compared to the paint-stripper you’ve just consumed. But does that trick still work when you get home?
| Colour | Nose | Palate | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemony sunshine | Lemon and herbs, grass, boiled sweets and peat smoke | Medicinal smoke, biscuits (custard creams and lemon puffs) Young and aggressive like a surly teenager with a knife. | Sweet, harsh smoke and vanilla. |
Conclusion
I’ve tasted later releases of their 100% Islay, but this was released too soon. It’s harsh on both the palate and finish and yet you can see the potential of a great whisky in there.
69%
Rating
