Three official 100% Islay Releases | 50% ABV

A Whisky Romance

The past few weeks have been a little busy with stressful work and personal stuff here at Casa dei Cullen (let me use the correct Italian grammar for once). Whisky has taken a step back.

Until I realised I missed it.

Not the inebriation or the relaxing effect alcohol does provide when enjoyed in moderation. Rather, the ritual of sitting down and focusing on the liquid in the glass, leaving the rest of my ‘bothers’ outside the door. To get my groove back, I needed a little ritual.

I am one of those obnoxious guys who tries to keep a regular spreadsheet of their whisky collection. I hadn’t updated mine for months. So, it was time to take stock again and get my whisky mindspace back. While I was attending to that exercise, I had to admit to myself that my relationship with whisky has changed. Not something surprising in itself, after all we grow with our experiences, but not only is my taste evolving, the “whisky is a journey” trope now feels emotionally cold.

The more I thought about it, the more the idea of “visiting” whisky as if I was a tourist felt wrong. It’s a lot more personal than that. I am building a relationship with it. I fall in love with some distilleries, grow together with some bottles, break up (symbolically) with others. Sure I am romanticising a bit, and sounding way more serious than I want to, but it feels closer to the truth. Whisky is not a journey, whisky is a romance. And if I reinterpret how my taste evolved in that light, it makes a lot more sense.

When I started diving into this hobby with a passion I followed the advice of being promiscuous. Don’t get suckered into loyalty early on, it’s a world of opportunity out there, they said. Just to avoid doubts - especially after inevitable double entendres around Earie’s Gold Cock review - I am talking about whisky and loyalty to specific distilleries., not about interpersonal relationships. Not that I am judging. You do you: I won’t criticise anyone’s lifestyle choices. But back to whisky: looking at the recent snapshot of my whisky collection, I realise promiscuity does not excite me that much these days. I have entered my monogam-ish phase. That is: monogamous, but only to a certain extent.

I have one distillery - Glengyle - that is the apple of my eye: every bottle I tried has intrigued me one way or another. Behind Glengyle there is a select circle of distilleries I trust to fit my taste, with most, if not all, releases, and deliver value for the money they ask me to pay for their wares. Hence, the monogam-ish rather than monogamous label.

And then, besides a few distilleries that have managed to end up in my very short list of “avoid even at the cost of going sober”, there is a sea of distilleries I know I would love to explore more, but just not now and not yet. I know I eventually will; my curiosity is hard to keep at bay. But be it in a month or six, it will likely be through the lens of independent bottlers rather than official bottles. After all, if I’m going to develop a new whisky romance, I’d rather get to know the real character of a distillery rather than a sanitised version.

This realisation made me wonder when that shift from distillery promiscuous to selective started. When did I start going from a happy-go-lucky, hyperactive, fully-charged, battery-powered whisky-buying bunny to a sniffy, and sometimes annoyingly (if I may say so myself) opinionated sceptic? Outside of those few trusted brands, that is. It probably started when I fell in love with a specific distillery’s output for the first time. The first time I really felt that “wow moment” which Dougie recently mentioned in his Longrow 100° proof review. A wow moment which made me fall in love with a distillery early in my single malt journey. That distillery was Kilchoman.

It wasn’t any special edition or cask finish, rather the standard core release Sanaig. I am not alone in having developed a passion for Kilchoman thanks to the Sanaig, a solid core range bottle for anyone looking for their Islay peat with a side of sherry. One of the online communities I am part of even has its own dedicated “Sanaig Gang”. It somehow feels good to be validated by others. It shouldn’t, but it does nonetheless.

After discovering Kilchoman through the Sanaig I started zooming in, looking for more expressions to explore. A tasty 2021 Madeira cask release hooked me even more and, after only my first 18 months of whisky accumulation, Kilchoman was by far the single most represented distillery in my collection.

And then, as is often the case with your first serious relationships, especially if they happen in those formative moments, we grew apart. If this were a teen romantic comedy, the phrase “it’s not you, it’s me” could be appropriate. I have no doubt my taste evolved.

But to be fair, Kilchoman bears its own part of the responsibility. The continuous stream of special releases anaesthetised my FOMO - and protected my wallet. Some of Kilchoman’s pricing moves didn’t help either, to put it mildly. The pricey NAS cask finishes, cask editions wore my patience thin. And that infamous 16-year-old release was the last straw which broke this whisky fan’s back. Unsurprisingly, you can still find that 16yo sitting on online shelves at that same silly price.

Like a lover scorned, for close to a year I refused to buy anything from Kilchoman. Eventually I got over my disappointment, reminded myself that I did still enjoy those open Kilchoman bottles on my shelves quite a bit, and acknowledged it was time to give Kilchoman a second chance by exploring a couple of their 100% Islay releases I had stashed away during my infatuation phase, alongside a more recent purchase during my visit to Islay.

Review 1/3

Kilchoman 100% Islay, 13th Edition, 2023 Release, fully aged in ex-bourbon barrels, un-chill filtered, natural colour, 50% ABV
€72 paid (£60), still some availability

Like many, to avoid overspending I try - but often fail - to stick to a budget. Back when I purchased this, still in my Kilchoman chasing phase, I had enough cash left in my budget for a bottle: the choice was between this and the Machir Bay Cask Strength. I seriously considered the Cask Strength Machir Bay over this. I had tried the Machir Bay and, looking back over two years ago, it hit my still relatively unaccustomed palate just right. But reason won over my gut decision.

I decided I couldn’t resist the opportunity to try what Kilchoman can deliver when it controls the whole production cycle from barley to bottle. Especially what they could produce with their in-house maltings. Call me a sucker, but the concept of a field-to-bottle farmhouse distillery does hold some romantic fascination.

Admittedly, the fact that I was able to grab this bottle on offer, and at a great price, helped. So did the fact that this version was fully aged in Bourbon. I have nothing against (well executed) cask finishes or Sherry cask ageing, quite the opposite, but I was excited to be able to try this 100% Islay as close to “pure” as possible.

For the detail oriented among us, this 2023 edition, was produced from Publican barley grown on Rockside Farm, located around the distillery itself on Islay. It is a vatting of 44, mostly first-fill, ex-Buffalo Trace casks of 2012, 2013, and 2014 malt, so 8 years old by the SWA’s definition. Make of that what you will.

Score: 7/10

**Very Good Indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*As close to a pure farm-to-bottle expression as you’re likely to get today*

Nose

Being familiar with Kilchoman’s core range, the first thing that is immediately noticeable is how toned down the peat is. It’s there at the front of the nose, but milder and less medicinal than in, for example, Machir Bay, and more floral with maritime iodine notes.

Quickly the smells veer towards grain-driven notes: barley chaff especially, and honey. The Bourbon cask shows its impact with a noticeable hit of vanilla. Then some light spice, white pepper and ginger, and some sugary citrusy notes, like boiled lemon and orange boiled sweets. At the back, some light herbal and floral notes, lemon verbena and hawthorn.

Palate

The mouthfeel is warm, maybe even a hint hot, with a medium texture; rich but not quite mouthcoating. As on the nose the peat hits first, still mild and sooty, then the flavours turn predominantly sweet and citrusy with a grain core. Malted barley grains (does anyone else try and sneak some in their mouth every time they visit a distillery?), vanilla, golden syrup, barley sugar, lemon peel. There is a little touch of hot fresh ginger and ripe banana, I am left with the impression of a very clean-tasting dram.

The finish is medium-long. It is slightly mineralic, reminding me of wet pebbles, lemon honey drops, golden delicious apples, and just a faint whiff of smoke in the background.

The Dregs

The term “linear” is often used, especially in wine, to describe a precise, lean, mineral product with sharp and clean aromas. The term seems fitting for this 100% Islay 13th edition. While sharp is not a term I would use, clean, elegant and precise aromas fit the bill. As blasphemous as it may sound, from a conceptual point of view rather than a taste-profile one, it feels closer to something like Glencadam 10 than many of its more established peated Islay siblings.

This is a whisky that has grown significantly on me over time. Initially I found it a bit simple, but with time it opened up and revealed its elegance. So much so that, after waiting far too long to open it and a clumsy mistake (more on that below) when trying to buy a dupe, I rushed to grab another bottle before it disappeared - there are still some around without resorting to auctions, if you look hard enough.

Does this make it the most worthy of attention among today’s bunch? Not necessarily. There is a difference between enjoying a dram versus being impressed by it. Some of the most impressive whiskies I’ve had are ones that engage both the senses and the brain; those you need to focus on. And while drinking them might be a great adventure in the glass, I often would not call them immediately enjoyable. It is often the more simple but well-executed drams that turn the fun up to 11 for me. This 100% 13th edition might not be challenging or extremely complex, but it is damn well enjoyable.

Score: 7/10

Review 2/3

Kilchoman 100% Islay, 14th Edition, 2024 Release, aged in ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso casks; 90:10 ratio, un-chill filtered, natural colour, 50% ABV
€80 paid (£68), still some availability

I mentioned a wee mistake in buying my second bottle of 100% Islay 13th edition earlier. This is that mistake.

A mistake driven by some late-night whisky shopping and a rush to beat an expiring offer on free shipping. Never a good combination. Just as bad as bidding on a 0.2L bottle thinking it is a 0.7L one at an auction. Worse, actually, since the bottles don’t even look the same in this case, so I cannot blame any confusing pictures for my stupidity. But I am glad I made this mistake.

Having the opportunity to compare the 100% ex-Bourbon 13th edition with this one that has, to paraphrase Mary Poppins, just a spoonful of Sherry (I grew up watching Marry Poppins as a child and, yes, I still have a soft spot for Julie Andrews years later), was something that was going to appease the scientist part of me. Nothing like a good old A vs B comparison.

The cask makeup (not declared, but more about that later) is similar to Kilchoman’s core range, Machir Bay. And as much as I originally loved the Sanaig, these days, except on particularly dreich days, I find myself preferring a more Bourbon cask driven profile.

Score: 7/10

**Very good indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*Thanks to “just a spoonful” of sherry cask it’s elegant, clean and comforting*

Nose

Even before any peat makes itself known, there is a big petrichor hit, followed by toasted oats. If anything the peat on this 14th edition is even milder than in its predecessor. It is there, woodsmoke and slightly maritime, but domesticated - more dog than wolf.

There is some ripe apple, ginger, a bit of farmy mulch before taking a left turn into perfumy territory: not the cheap sort. It’s like smelling an expensive unisex cologne. Citrus peel, jasmine, orange blossom oil and dried tangerine peel with a sea spray dusting to round things off.

Palate

The palate is medium in texture but quite flavourful, if not particularly complex. Bonfire smoke, barley sugar, white fruit - apple, pear and some grapes - and a bit of spice. The base note is very maritime, sea salt, which works well to balance the more sweet-leaning core. I do not get much of a sherry influence, even towards the end, but a hint of nuttiness and raisins, and a passing taste of milk chocolate which disappears almost as quickly as it takes to write down. The finish is medium long, sweet and maritime, with just a touch of smoke and a ginger prickle that lingers on the tongue.

The Dregs

As much as I like the 13th edition of the 100% Islay, I have to admit the 14th edition will probably appeal to more palates. The couple of times I offered both side-by-side to whisky drinking friends (casual and less so), it clearly came out on top. It keeps the same clean and grain forward identity of the 13th edition but adds a richness, both in aroma and taste. It is undoubtedly rounder. One thing is sure, the Sherry influence is not a forward one - more like seasoning than a main ingredient. Just enough to plump up the body of the whisky in the bottle.

However, one thing I would have liked to see from Kilchoman is more transparency. We are told that the distillate is from 2013 and 2014 (likely 10 and 9 years old), and the barley variety (Publican again), but there is no detail on the cask makeup. There is no information on the bottle, box or website. I only managed to discover the exact split (90% ex-Bourbon and 10% ex-Oloroso Sherry) thanks to the video Kilchoman made to advertise this release. In today’s day and age, would it have been too much to ask to have that on the label? Maybe the team at Kilchoman wanted to boost their YouTube channel views, but in that case, a hint (or QR code) would have been much appreciated.

Score: 7/10

Review 3/3

Kilchoman 10yo, 100% Islay Distillery Small Batch Exclusive, 2024 Release, aged in ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso casks, un-chill filtered, natural colour, 50% ABV
£90 paid, still some availability

This is the bottle that broke my self-imposed Kilchoman buying ban. Late last summer I got to spend three short days on Islay. Way too little to be honest, and even more-so from a malt point of view if you consider that I was in the company of friends only marginally interested in whisky. Not that I am complaining, it was a memorable break. We had a great time mixing walks with whisky and Scottish seafood (Islay’s Oyster Shed still gets the most mentions when we reminisce about our trip). But it left me with the desire for a return visit dedicated to whisky.

One of the casualties of our scheduling negotiations was Kilchoman. The distillery’s production area was closed for maintenance anyway, so I was not too sad to miss a distillery tour. We did, however, manage to stop on our way to Machir Bay and visit the shop. Besides the standard range and the afore-mentioned, stupidly priced 16yo, two bottles caught my attention, both distillery exclusives: a 10-year-old Sherry single cask release and this 10-year-old 100% Islay. An age-stated version of the 100% Islay sounded too good to be true not to take a punt.

Score: 5/10

**Average.**
***TL;DR***
*A missed opportunity: too much cask stifling natural elegance*

Nose

There is a farmy mulch note, then a very light woodsmoke, maritime sea spray, and a bit of intrusive sulfuric spent matchstick. Kilchoman does not disclose the proportion of casks used, but it is immediately clear that there is significantly more Oloroso influence here than in the 2024 100% Islay edition. The sulfur note luckily dissipates quickly, leaving milk chocolate covered raisins, raspberry jam, Sherry rancio, pepper and baking spices and a hint of menthol.

Palate

As much as the nose on this Distillery Exclusive got me excited, there is not enough on the palate to live up to it. The mouthfeel is smooth but slightly thin. Noticeably thinner than the other two 100% Islay editions when tasted side by side which is difficult to explain. The taste is pleasant but quite simple: barley sugar, raisins, slightly nutty, some baking spice. There is some maritime character but it is almost entirely overpowered by the Sherry influence, as is the very faint bonfire peat.

The finish is medium long, and luckily less dominated by the Oloroso cask: barley sugar, apple, raisin, sea salt and woodsmoke.

The Dregs

No one likes to be disappointed by a whisky, even less so by an expensive distillery exclusive. So I hope you’ll excuse me if I rewrite the description for what is considered a 5 here on Dramface for this one review. This is not “Average, in a good way”. This is “Average, in a disappointing way”.

I am not even mad at the price. Ninety pounds is not cheap, but not completely out of the realm of reason for an age stated 100% Islay, especially when compared to the price of the yearly releases. I am mad at the treatment of the distillate. The Sherry cask influence, a slightly dirty one at that, is way too overbearing to do justice to the elegant and delicate character of Kilchoman’s 100% Islay spirit.

I would be very curious to know how much Sherry cask was used here. But again, Kilchoman has decided that information is not something its fans, even those who make the pilgrimage to their distillery, should be entitled to know.

While the sherry cask use is probably not as high as that used for Sanaig (70% Sherry to 30% Oloroso), it is significantly more than the 10% used in the 14th edition. If I were a betting man, which I am not, I would wager it to be close to 50/50. Be that as it may, for me this is a missed opportunity.

Score: 5/10

The Final Dregs

Considering Kilchoman was the first distillery I fell in love with and, metaphorically, broke up with, how do I feel after spending a good amount of time trying these three 100% Islay releases?

It was more like visiting a friend you were close to in the past but lost touch with, than dating a former partner (thankfully!). And that old friend just revealed a different, gentler side of themselves. One that may not be high on the list of hardcore peatheads, but one I'm glad to have available in the palette of Islay flavours.

Kilchoman’s core releases, to my taste, almost always have a clean maritime character to them, even with the more powerful phenol levels and Port Ellen peat imprint (which will eventually be replaced, now that Diageo has cut the supply). The 13th and 14th 100% Islay editions keep that core personality, but the lower peat level, more noticeable grain-driven character, and extra floral notes bring an extra level of elegance, which makes for a different and gentler take on Islay.

I do love being bludgeoned by a proper peat bomb from time to time, but more than anything, I like the ability to choose my peat poisoning level to fit my mood, weather, or company. From extreme to extremely mild. And in the case of Kilchoman, that gentler peat fits the distillery profile nicely. As long as cask influence is kept in check.

Cask finishes can be great when used on a spirit which can stand up to them, but when the core character is gentle, delicate and elegant, please play to its strengths and let it shine. I would love to see what a 100% Islay aged only in refill ex-bourbon casks would taste like way more than exploring the same with any fancy cask finish. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the arrival of the 2025 100% Islay edition - it’s a date.

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. HC

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