Kilchoman Fino Sherry Matured

Back to the beloved Kilchoman and another Sherry bottling, which is certainly not new for the distillery, not known for following roads already beaten: like many young distilleries, the research into casks and the influence they have on the distillate is a continuous work in progress, perhaps not always successful but certainly interesting and not banal. 

The fourth and final limited edition of 2020, released around mid-October with 10,500 bottles produced from twelve casks from the Miguel Martin bodega, all former Sherry Fino with eleven first-fill and one second-fill, obviously without colouring or chillfiltration. The distillate comes from productions in 2014 and 2016, and follows a similar edition released some time earlier for the Kilchoman club.

Tasting notes

Full gold in the glass.

Rivers of bacon flood the nose, a fleshy and pungent peat with woody reflections (pine needles, resin, rosemary) that reveals raspberries, dates, liquorice, dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, all washed down with plenty of seawater. In time, olives in brine, a touch of asphalt, with the mineral part (and a medicinal spot) becoming more decisive. Overpowering.

The palate is effervescent, with exuberant ginger on blood orange, dampening the fleshy peat hit that turns more towards burnt rubber, while fruit (cooked apple, pink grapefruit, berries), liquorice, milk chocolate and a drop of honey emerge. Still very saline, especially along the length.

The finish is long and saline, of ash, orange, balsamic touches, prunes, ginger.

A rich and complex nose is matched by a palate perhaps more familiar but not negligible, where the peat unbalances the flavours and tends to take over too much of the scene, leading to a dram that leaves a hint of disappointment but still enjoyable.