Kilchoman 2012 Red Wine Cask Sample

At a nice Kilchoman tasting back in May 2017, James Wills brought a cask sample at cask strength from a Kilchoman that was maturing on a red wine cask. It was some sort of avant-premiere of the Kilchoman Red Wine Cask Matured release that has just been released.Kilchoman on red wine… there’s a first!

It is surprisingly sweet on the nose. It even reminds me a bit of molasses. It is not a rum cask, though. A lot of wet wood, earthy notes and something that reminds me of the praline filling of chocolate. The peat is there, but in the background. This is a very inviting nose.

On the palate, it’s an explosion of red fruit and charcoal with a slight bitterness that reminds me of the pith of a grape. It takes some getting used to, but it grows and you and then some. Leave it for fifteen minutes and it becomes wonderfully dark and sweet on roasted nuts, marshmellow and cuberdons. Very special, but delicious. The peat offers a slight smokiness, but here it’s just an afterthought.

The finish is medium long, dark & sweet and spicy.

Delicious, albeit atypical, Kilchoman. I wonder what the general release will taste like!

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