Origin: Isle of slay (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 52.7%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: No
Owner: Kilchoman
Average price: € 190.00
Official website: kilchomandistillery.com
The year 2025 marks the twentieth anniversary of the founding of Kilchoman, and of course, the Islay distillery made sure to celebrate the occasion with several special bottlings.
It began with the first Loch Gorm at declared age, and shortly after continued with four bottlings, all with declared aging, which is quite rare for Kilchoman.
Starting with the aging process, this fifteen-year-old spirit is the result of blending five ex-oloroso sherry casks that contained distillate from 2008 and 2009, resulting in 3,153 bottles released in May 2025.
Tasting Notes
So much meat on the fire, at least for the nose, with a rich grilled meat sprinkled with aromatic herbs (rosemary, sage), spices (sweet paprika, black pepper), and BBQ sauce. The aromas are very intense and dark, with red fruits (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries) expressed in jam, candied blood orange, dried figs with almonds, tamarind syrup. Very sweet, perhaps even too much. The peat is maritime and iodized, with marked but not overwhelming smoke. Overwhelming.
The palate is vibrant and sparkling, with rich chili and cloves, reflecting the dark tones of the nose with greater dryness and balance. There is a bitter component of rhubarb and licorice, softening the dried red fruits along with hints of cigar tobacco and leather, giving an earthy and dirty yet elegant twist. Still much dark citrus, with the more evident iodized aspects in length as well as the smoke, which provides a frame and closure, combined with a vegetal vein between the balsamic and the aromatic.
Finale long and deep, dominated by red fruits and citrus marked by spices and aromatic herbs, with smoke, a saline and vegetal vein, and a subtle hint of black coffee.
Review: If it weren’t for that scent slightly too weighted towards sweetness, it would be a masterpiece, but it remains a great dram nonetheless, rich and full-bodied, doing justice to both the casks and the distillate.
Vote: 88/100