Kilchoman 100% Islay (12th Edition)

Previous Kilchoman tastings haven't impressed me, but I was drawn to this 100% Islay expression made entirely from locally sourced barley, floor malted in-house. The packaging indicates the peat is also sourced locally from Islay. The aroma presents lemon-vanilla, banana, and a trace of permanent marker (a fitting description from another reviewer), with a slight earthy undertone. The peat is not very prominent on the nose, and a noticeable ethanol presence suggests an alcohol content of around 50% ABV, possibly higher. The palate is more satisfying than the aroma. The lemon-vanilla and banana notes are present, and the peat smoke is more pronounced, carrying through to the finish. The peat leans more towards smokiness than earthiness, similar to Loch Gorm, and also has a salty, sea air quality, along with minerality. The finish is relatively short for an Islay but enjoyable. I appreciate this bottling. It's likely my favorite among the three Kilchomans I've sampled. It's an enjoyable whisky. However, having not tried the Machir Bay, I can't help but wonder if this one is significantly superior. I respect the distillery's efforts and am willing to pay more for the added work involved, yet I anticipated something a little more. It's good, but if you're not inclined to pay a premium for the narrative, other Islay malts might offer better value.

Nose: Buttery, almost shortbread cookie notes, vanilla, lemon citrus, rubber, medicinal. Palate: Shortbread cookie, salted caramel, some barnyard funk, peat smoke rolling in. Finish: Smoke, hay, mineral note. In my opinion, the only thing preventing this from being a great whisky is the grassy, hay note on the finish. I don't enjoy that lingering. Everything else is fantastic!

Nose: peaty with banana peels, seaside salty Palate: salt and more salt, rock salt, bottom of the river Finish: Long savory finish

Earthy, balanced with the malt. Spectacular structure. Alcohol is not aggressive. Very, very good!