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Kilchoman 2011 Madeira Cask

Nope

0 770

@MaltActivistReview by @MaltActivist

29th Jul 2016

0

Kilchoman 2011 Madeira Cask
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    70

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I seem to writing only about Islay whiskies of late. Thing is I have a pocket book full of tasting notes after my trip to the Feis Ile that I have to commit to the site. So you're going to have to bear with me for a while.

We managed to spend a fun few hours at the distillery indulging in, not only some whiskies but, chocolate desserts too. The Machir Bay brownie, I must admit, is better than any whisky produced there. Sure, that might be a slight exaggeration but every time I think of Kilchoman I think of that brownie. So draw your own conclusion.

Kilchoman have been quite busy of late adding experimental expressions to both their core and special range and the one I was most excited about getting my hands on was the young 'un matured fully in Madeira Casks.

Back in 2011 the distillery filled 17 casks which had previously held Madeira wine and set them to rest. Then in 2015 they managed to extract 6,100 bottles from those casks and put together what is, in my opinion, one of the more average Kilchomans' I have ever tasted.

My sample is from an open bottle and served at 50% ABV

Nope. Don't like it. Really spirity. Feinty spirits. Quite sharp. I'm missing the delicate robustness that I'm accustomed to with Kilchomans. Quite woody. There is some vanilla and toffee sweetness. Touch of garam masala. For some reason this one screams . And it really shouldn't given how pristine Kilchoman are with their spirit and casks.

Equally spirity. Equally upsetting. Muddle of sharp pin pricks with an almost apologetic fruitiness. Sorry, nothing to see here.

Medium to who care anymore?

Well, what can I say? I've decided I don't like these wine maturations. Especially Madeira. Laphroaig struggled with it with 2016's Cairdeas. It was not a total disaster like this but still nothing spectacular. I don't know if a few more years will do the trick or only make it worse. Honestly, I don't know if there's any stock left over to even know. And, frankly, I couldn't care less.

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7 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

Too bad. It is getting quite tricky to find good wine-finished Scottish malts these days. Thanks for your review.

8 years ago 0

@Pierre_W
Pierre_W commented

Appreciate your frank and honest review,@MaltActivist. I have encountered very few ex-wine cask matured whiskies that worked, and it seems tricky to create a product where the grapey flavours do not distort the distillery character. Thanks again for your sincere comments.

8 years ago 0

@Robert99
Robert99 commented

@Maltactivist This kind of review is quite usefull. We saved money and you send a message to the distilleries about wine finish. Thanks. It also gives more credit to this site on wich there is maybe not enough well written bad critics.

8 years ago 0

@MaltActivist
MaltActivist commented

"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." - Lester Bangs

8 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

Keep the reviews coming! Thanks for this one, I'll be sure to steer clear of it. Sounds like one I'd be prone to try otherwise. Some wine finished really are to my liking but far from all are good obviously.

8 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

Keep the reviews coming! Thanks for this one, I'll be sure to steer clear of it. Sounds like one I'd be prone to try otherwise. Some wine finished really are to my liking but far from all are good obviously.

8 years ago 0

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden commented

Keep the reviews coming! Thanks for this one, I'll be sure to steer clear of it. Sounds like one I'd be prone to try otherwise. Some wine finished really are to my liking but far from all are good obviously.

8 years ago 0