Origin: Isle of Islay (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 54.9%ABV
Ageing cask: Ex-Bourbon and ex-Port
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: No
Owner: Kilchoman
Average price: € 120.00
Official website: kilchomandistillery.com
After the one dedicated to Milan, comes Kilchoman’s single cask dedicated to Rome: a whisky with a peat level of 50 ppm distilled on 19 October 2016, which after 5 years in a former bourbon barrel from Buffalo Trace, spent the last part of its maturation (about 3 years) in an ex-port cask, before being bottled on 10 July 2024 at 54.9%ABV in 267 bottles still available in Italy.
Tasting Notes
The colour is dark bronze.
On the nose, like a vision of paradise, there is an immediate sensation of sizzling barbecue (everyone has their own paradise) with generous drippings of fat, to which sage leaves have been added before a sprinkling of black pepper. A note of acrid smoke jumps into the overall profile, while hints of burnt caramel and dark chocolate steer the discerning fan in a sweeter direction. In time, the impression of berry jam merges with that of vanilla, with a hint of roasted chestnut. In the mouth, a balsamic eucalyptus note is clearly noticeable, with aniseed not far behind.
In the peppery mouth, the feeling of fat on the grill is, if possible, even more pronounced. But the burnt caramel also takes on a not inconsiderable depth, and the blackberry and blueberry pairing is followed in terms of intensity by chinotto and rhubarb. Two very peculiar sensations complete the picture: one of watermelon and the other of “fagioli all’uccelletto” (which are just great with grilled meat).
The finish is long and persistent, with black pepper, a hint of smoke, the fat that is now dripping not only from the barbecue but also from our mouths, and a hint of sweet liquorice.
The overt intrusiveness of the ex-port casks is contained by the Kilchoman team’s usual compositional wizardry, in a whisky that keeps the distillery’s signature always in evidence, with an extra touch.
Vote: 88/100