Kilkerran 12 Year Old
A different Campbeltow
7 1488
Review by @Robert99
- Nose21
- Taste22
- Finish22
- Balance23
- Overall88
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Distribution of ratings for this:
- Brand: Kilkerran
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Campbeltown
- ABV: 46%
- Batch: 20. 4/17 17/166
This is my first Kilkerran. Usually, I am not a fan of Campbeltown whisky because I often get rotten vegetal notes on the nose and the palate. Let see if it is different.
Yep. It is. This is my third dram from this bottle and the whisky is improving with each pour, opening a little bit more each time. One thing I could say is that it is straight since the first time.
The nose is well defined. Oak, mint, vanilla, cristalized sugar, grapes and lemon peel then come some gentle spices from the sherry, smoke with a hint of peat and also a hint of tarragon.
The palate start with the oak as well, but add a lot of cereals. Lemon comes forward, so is the peat but so well integrated it's a velvety peat. With each sip, it becomes more salty and it adds a bit of white pepper. The tarragon is there but with a wee touch of cardamon.
The finish is also salty and makes you realize that the sherry notes were there all the time in the background to support and to give depth to the more refreshing notes. The peat is recessing so progressively you cannot say when they left and when you start to notice the other low notes. The finish is not spectacular but translate an incredible balance.
A few days ago, my review would have been about a good young whisky, very straight but a bit shy and simple. It has already increase in a tremendous way in complexity and in flavor. It is not a spectacular whisky but it is one with something close to a spectacular balance. It has evolved enough to pass from the low 80' to the high 80'. The best part is that I feel it will still improved.
@Robert99 I was wondering if you actually picked up a bottle of this in the end.
Great review, it expresses what is elusive about this whisky. As you said not the most spectacular but extremely well balanced and put together. The tight balance of the cereals, lemon, peat and that slight mineral side.