Kilkerran Heavily Peated Peat in Progress Batch N°1

59,3°

Distillery : Glengyle - Campbeltown

Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength 

Peated around 84 ppm

The distillery is trying out this heavily peated bottling in 2019, which is currently being followed by two other batches of the same kind.

Let's Taste It : 

At first, the nose is very similar to that of Kilkerran 12 year old. Vanilla, country flavours, cowshed, with barley sugar, but in a rougher, less refined way. Rustic. Then the peat rises, quite heavy. Imposing. No smoke or iodine, just peat. It enhances the vanilla, with a herbaceous, earthy touch. A good match. On the palate, olive oil, vanilla, then the pepper rises, it's strong. It's fairly flat, but the finish is nice, an ounce of caramelised coal, peat and earth, melting salted butter.

 

In Short, 

It's astonishing, and will delight fans of the genre. Having said that, the whisky is very young and not very complex, so it would be better to wait for a bottling in the same style but older, which will be more worthwhile. 

Score : 86

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Kiss - I Was Made For Loving You

Kilkerran 8 yo Cask Strength 2019

57,1°

Distillery : Glengyle - Campbeltown

Recharred Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated from 12 to 15 ppm

 

The distillery regularly produces bottlings of 8-year-old cask strength. The special feature of this one is that it has been aged in toasted sherry casks, which means it has been burnt with a blowtorch. 15,000 bottles were sold.

Let's Taste It : 

Wood and smoked bacon, chimney fire, dried fruits: apricots, dates, figs, raisins. Rare cooked beef. Some red fruits, mainly strawberry. Fat, thick and tasty sherry. Agen prunes. The typical Kilkerran farmhouse character is barely perceptible. Some cereals though, puffed rice and barley. Meat juice. Very fleshy on the palate, still with dried fruits, but also juicy, rare and candied. The spices are rising, but not too much. Quite ripe red plum. An ounce of coarse salt. Slightly dry finish, wood and liquorice, heather earth, crunchy grapes, charcoal, pear, cherry.

 

In Short, 

A truly excellent edition, very fruity and rare. Don't hesitate to buy it, as long as you can find it at a reasonable price, because it's a victim of its own success. 

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath

The GlenDronach 18 yo Allardice

43°

Distillery : The GlenDronach - Highlands

Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 2009

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

This prestige edition is named in tribute to the founder of the GlenDronach distillery, James Allardice.

Let's Taste It : 

Very coppery sherry, quite dry, deep, fruity, prickly pear, rhubarb compote, fresh leather, plum, wood. Varnish and a hint of camphor. Excellent on the palate, the fruits are varied, with candied cherry, sweet potato, granny smith apple, quince and apricot. Green tea. Slightly acidic and greedy, even pastry-like, with genoise, chocolate fondant and praline. Long finish with earth, liquorice and charcoal. A few ground coffee beans, a pinch of pepper. Cinnamon.

In Short, 

This ageing in Oloroso sherry casks will delight enthusiasts. Personally, I think it's excellent, but a little too sweet. That said, the price is not exaggerated, so you may be tempted.

Score : 88

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping : 

                                           Yes - Heart of The Sunrise