Kilchoman Batch Strength

Kilchoman

Origin

Islands (Scotland)

Type

Single Malt Whisky

Barrel

Not Specified

Age

No Age Statement

Alcohol

57°

Value

80 points

About the product

When Kilchoman Batch Strength was launched, it immediately captured the hearts of aficionados. At last, in addition to the basic bottlings in the range, there was a regular at a higher alcohol content, which showed off the power of Kilchoman's spirit well. 57% is the alcohol content, a percentage you do often see recurring in the better whiskies. That's often where the balance between the power of the alcohol and the flavours inherent in the whisky is perfectly balanced. So too here.

This whisky matured in a combination of re-roasted red wine casks, oloroso sherry casks and bourbon barrels. Each of those casks worked hard to make this whisky a powerhouse with a sweet heart. Kilchoman's natural peat smoke and citrus character form the base, dark fruit, rich spices and the sweetness of salted caramel complete the picture.

It starts on the nose with red fruits, fresh cherries, heather blossom and an intense peat smoke. Then on taste you get toffee, rich spices, vanilla (from the bourbon casks) and a lingering peat smoke. The finish is silky smooth in texture with fresh biscuits, butter and running honey. A joy to taste, and proof that even whisky at higher strengths does not necessarily have to be heavy on the palate. Elegance reigns supreme here.

About the brand

Kilchoman started producing whisky in 2005. It was the first time in many decades that another new distillery opened on the mythical island of Islay. More so, now, almost 20 years later, it has emerged that Kilchoman was one of the first of a huge wave of new Scottish distilleries - more than 50 have joined in recent years. That Kilchoman would be a keeper was written in the stars. From the outset, what stood out was how the focus was always on quality first, without compromise. Those compliments are for Anthony Wills, the Englishman who dared to start something new. Together with his two sons, he has since built Kilchoman into a fixture on the whisky landscape, and the distillery has steadily expanded in terms of production capacity. Currently, they can produce up to 650,000 litres there on an annual basis, and plans are to grow even further, towards the million mark. We certainly don't mind that, as what is made there is always in taste.

The house style is a firmly-turfed whisky, entirely in the classic Islay style. The basic range consists of the Machir Bay (aged almost entirely in bourbon casks), the Sanaig (about 50/50 bourbon and sherry casks) and the Loch Gorm (mostly sherry cask). There is also the 100% Islay, for which they work with barley grown exclusively on Islay, and the Batch Strength, a recent addition at a higher alcohol content. Kilchoman single casks are always an adventure, as there is no shying away from experimenting with special cask maturities like tequila, Sauternes, Madeira or STR (Shave, Toast, Rechar). This makes Kilchoman products favourites of whisky connoisseurs.