Kilchoman Loch Gorm (2022 Edition)

Nose...first comes barbecue smoke and earthy peat, followed by savory meaty notes with a hint of white pepper and citrus. Palate...nice texture but not quite oily. Very pleasant barbecue smoke and mild to medium peat with savory notes and white pepper. Not particularly complex, but what's present is quite enjoyable. I expected more dark fruit notes from a sherry maturation, which are absent here. Finish...nicely long and reminiscent of barbecue shrimp wrapped in pepper bacon. Very good, but I would suggest Laphroaig Lore or Ardbeg Uigeadail for greater complexity or Springbank 15 if you desire more dark fruit.

Nose: Tea leaf, clove, vanilla, raisins, brine, peat, ash, smoke, eucalyptus leaf. Palate: Clove, raisin, light maple syrup, ashy peat smoke, brine, dark chocolate finish. Another outstanding release from Kilchoman. Excellent balance between dry elements and mild sweetness. It's almost like sipping a lightly sweetened Earl Grey tea. Pleasant herbal notes, brine, and smoky ash complete this whiskey; it's difficult to find and a bit expensive, but absolutely worth it.

On the nose, you are met with a light woody peat, sea salt, grape wine, marzipan, dulce de leche... On the palate, the first sip brings dark chocolate caramel and grape, then immediately the bitterness and the tobacco cask influence appears!... The finish is medium to long! The bitterness and dryness of the grape remain, obviously amplified by the alcohol and yes, a very persistent tobacco!!. Very memorable!!.. Cheers!!..

Fruity, sweet, peppery, peaty, salty... it's a bit of everything all at once, I'd say! The finish is quite long and smoky. This is my first Kilchoman, and while it's not necessarily my favorite Scotch, I'm not disappointed either, far from it. However, I might have expected something more. I'll see if I'm more impressed with another bottle from a different category.

An exceptionally well-balanced Islay whisky.

Dark in color.