Kilchoman Machir Bay (2018 Edition)

Kilchoman tasting session in Sydney on June 25th, 2019: Spirit #1 Nose: Initial impression is bright, crisp cereal with a subtle smoky fragrance. The smoke is more refined and floral than a strong medicinal peat, akin to distant campfire smoke with occasional hints of perfume. It also has a musky quality like white marshmallows, plus notes of vanilla and citrus. Palate: Smoky and fruity upon tasting, with the smoke being more pronounced than on the nose. As it develops, notes of seaweed, citrus fruits, and a background of light butterscotch emerge. There's also a mild sweet chili sauce and ginger spice. Adding water reduces the spice and enhances the fruitiness. The texture is nicely neutral. Finish: Medium length. The gentle smoke present from the start gradually fades, yielding to fruity notes and a sweet, crisp aftertaste. Overall, this is a gracefully fresh young whisky that is characterful and stylish. It's mild yet substantial, with a bright nose that isn't harsh or overly alcoholic. Its supple quality is both refreshing and brisk, without being acrid. It feels slightly disjointed, as if a band is out of sync, but a little water smooths out any rough edges, balances the profile, and is highly recommended. Compared to earlier Machir Bay bottlings, this version is more polished. I recall its distinctly young taste from five years ago, but that youthful edge has vanished. I was impressed by how well it held its own against the other whiskies that evening and found myself wanting another sip. Machir Bay is a core offering from Kilchoman and perhaps the most authentic representation of their distillate. Earlier bottles displayed the release year on the front label, but this has been absent since 2014. The bottle code is now found on the back (this tasting was from batch 18/54). “Good”: 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Dear Kilchoman - Your presence at whisky festivals is harming your image. That's my conclusion after sampling your core selection with a brand representative last night. I've had your whiskies numerous times at festivals and always found them adequate, but nothing more. I now understand they are significantly better when tasted away from a festival setting, where a tired palate tends to recall only the most intense flavors. These are refined spirits best enjoyed alone. Furthermore, I don't recall anyone at these events ever explaining your numerous variations, something I always found too perplexing to investigate, but I now grasp the logical progression from the 90% bourbon cask of Machir Bay through the 50/50 bourbon/sherry mix of Sanaig to the 100% Oloroso of Loch Gorm. With my perspective adjusted, I can now state that I enjoyed all three of these core offerings. The Machir Bay, which I'm informed is technically a five-year-old, has a nose of white pepper and vanilla. The body is crisp, malty, and creamy with a subtle sweetness on the finish. It's technically superb and perfectly drinkable, though not compelling enough to earn a spot on my shelf. The bottle's date stamp suggested a 2019 batch, but I don't believe we need another record for it.

This was the second best in the Flaviar set I received for Father's Day, which also contained the US small batch and Sanaig. This producer is quite new, established around 2004, making it very young compared to the famous scotch makers. My preference for Kilchoman generally is their more subtle, relaxed peat influence compared to the major Islay distilleries, which I find taste like plastic and rubber tires. This expression is light and crisp with a peat presence that isn't overwhelming, and the finish seemed to last for minutes. I was very impressed with all three.

The aroma carries notes of leather and honey, quite sweet. The palate is medium-bodied, with prominent pear, salt, chocolate, and smoke at the forefront. Floral and spice notes are also present in the flavor. The finish is short, peppery, and dry, with a sage or leather aftertaste.

I noticed this on sale at a local liquor store but decided against purchasing it. It turned out that the bar at the restaurant that evening had it, allowing me to sample it. It presented a pleasant, well-rounded combination of wood, peat, and smoke. It wasn't nearly as intense as a Lagauvulin, but it offered a fair balance of flavors.

The aroma is very similar to Ardbeg 10, featuring peat, light smoke, lemon, grass, sea salt, and band-aids. The taste mirrors the nose, with subtle smoke, pleasant briny and citrus notes, and a touch of fruit in the finish. It possesses a richer, oilier mouthfeel than Ardbeg 10. A fantastic Islay.