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Kilkerran 8 Year Old Cask Strength

Rudimentary

10 787

@cricklewoodReview by @cricklewood

13th Apr 2020

0

Kilkerran 8 Year Old Cask Strength
  • Nose
    21
  • Taste
    22
  • Finish
    22
  • Balance
    22
  • Overall
    87

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I like the story of Glengyle distillery's birth, that the SWA wanted to remove Campbeltown's status as a region due to the fact that it only had 2 working distilleries and that 3 would be needed in order to consider it a region. So as a middle finger J&A Mitchell renovated a long closed building and outfitted it with two refurbished pot stills, all the barley would still come over from Springbanks maltings and voilà.

It's likely hyperbole but it makes good print.

This is the second batch of Cask Strength, it's composed of all first-fill ex-bourbon casks. This was via a sample swap but have since been able to acquire a bottle via an eagle-eyed Connosr member.

Nose: Barley forward, vegetal peat, dusty books, wet oak, paraffin, the peat is resinous and conifer like. With water, we get a bit of fruits, mostly green pear and kiwi, it seems to bring out the vanilla as well as a touch of camphor.

Palate: Ashy, earthy, sweet & mineral. Ginseng, lime leaf, aspirin tablets. Water brings out more unripe fruit , waxy lemons and spice.

Finish: Slightly medicinal, lemon lozenges, more ash and sweet malty barley.

Blab: I added water the first time but the second time around I felt the drinking strength was perfect. I was at times reminded of Lagavulin 12 especially on the finish. This is kind of a stripped down style, it highlights what may be the distillery's character, I think the 8 year old shows off the Springbank parentage more than the Kilkerran 12.

You have to like the kind of mineral waxy, sooty style otherwise this may not pull you in.

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7 comments

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

That last sentence is exactly what I love about Springbank/Glengyle. That funk is exactly in my wheelhouse. Thanks for the review. I’ll have to keep my eye out for one of these.

4 years ago 4Who liked this?

Mackstine commented

Haha, this is one of my favorite stories about the Scotch world and one of the reasons why I love the Springbank family in general. I find these youthful Kilkerrans ooze a ton of character and aren't lacking in quality whatsoever. I see them as a bit of a continuation of the work in progress line up as time goes on. Great Review!

4 years ago 4Who liked this?

@MadSingleMalt
MadSingleMalt commented

The Kilkerran rebirth story is the great undertold story in modern scotch whisky—way better than the silly whirlpools, tornadoes, and devil dogs that we usually hear about.

4 years ago 5Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

@MadSingleMalt But is it better than Viking warriors or Clan Chieftains riding to war atop charging stags and whatnot?

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@cricklewood
cricklewood commented

@Mackstine well said. Yeah I think it's some of my punk/cook/Indie roots showing there. Nothing as pleasant as a good ole' middle finger to an institution that's gone too far.

I like the character of these whiskys and the integrity of their enterprise. I won't give Springbank a pass on everything, I've had some ho-hum ones and other's where the sherry has gone way to far down fart road for my liking. Idiosyncratic over forgettable.

@MadSingleMalt @OdysseusUnbound don't forget the use of the elements... There's another tired trope.

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@MadSingleMalt
MadSingleMalt commented

@cricklewood, I can't wait to see a SMWS bottling called "Way too far down fart road."

4 years ago 4Who liked this?

@cricklewood
cricklewood commented

@MadSingleMalt give em another couple of years until the inspiration runs out.

4 years ago 0