Kilchoman Machir Bay (2020 Edition)

Note - I'm evaluating bottles from the Really Good Whisky Company Advent Calendar. I've also decided to pour these spirits "blind" (or as blind as I can manage), then provide nose, palate, and finish notes. I'll then examine the label, proof, cask type, etc., before writing my other observations. I'll offer some estimations regarding things like proof and cask type and then see how inaccurate I was. Cheers! Nose: Yum! Iodine, brine, sea spray, and is that peat?! This is either Islay or Island – I'm leaning towards the former. Beneath the Islay character, there are notes of toasted grains and honey. Also lovely hints of vanilla, fruit, and oak. A very approachable nose - around 46% ABV, perhaps? Maybe some non-ex-bourbon cask influence? Ex-wine? If there's sherry, it's either a small proportion or used for finishing. Very subtly floral, with citrus oil brightness hidden within. The lack of new make funk and lighter oak makes me want to guess around 10 years old. It doesn't have that banana characteristic I often notice, so this must be a single malt. Palate: Brine, honey, oak, fruits. Honeyed toasted cereal grains. Earth and soil. Honeysuckle, orange blossoms, rounded out with some vanilla. Apricots, strawberries – but not in a dense, sugary way. Some pepper and nutmeg, though I'm not getting much of a cinnamon vibe. I could probably narrow down the possibilities to one of a few distilleries since this doesn't seem to fit the profile of, for instance, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, or Ardbeg. There's a sense of familiarity, but I'm not quite sure what it is. This washes over the palate beautifully, particularly prominent on the middle/back. It has good balance, though not much depth or "bass." Medium-light mouthfeel. Finish: Herbs, brine, earth, and some wisps of smoke. Light, sweet oak character sets the stage for vanilla, citrus oils, and light fruits. Slowly, things evolve, and some reasonable tannins present themselves. Eventually, everything settles into some ash, oak, and vanilla, pleasantly fading away. Medium-long length. Other notes: Ah yes. Kilchoman Machir Bay. A beautiful example of Islay, and a bottle I had the pleasure of purchasing a few years ago. I got the proof exactly right, the cask types pretty much spot-on (their website states roughly 90% ex-bourbon, 10% oloroso sherry), and the region exactly right. This is an NAS bottling, so I can't confirm the age. That's a minor disappointment, but I'm not really a stickler for age statements. While I'd prefer more transparency about the bottle's contents, it's also quite common not to get into that level of detail. This is an excellent expression, and one I had completely forgotten about. I really need to get another bottle, as well as their Sanaig, and dive back in. Before that, however, I need to clear out a few bottles in my collection. If circumstances were different, I'd be hosting many "blind tasting events" just to help get rid of the stock. Until then, I guess Christmas trees aren't the only things getting lit this year. Until next time, cheers!

N: Smoke, light peat, tartness, some sea spray, sweet mineral notes that transition to something like pear. Hints of banana, too. A bit of earthiness emerges from the peat, and there's some spice that leans towards chili pepper alongside the typical cinnamon. Vanilla. My overall impression is that this is fairly light with a clean, youthful sweetness. P: Sweet with pear, banana, apple, and vanilla. Smoke and peat are present, of course, but as the palate progresses, what stands out more is a tartness mixed with faint suggestions of terroir. Mild chocolate with a hint of cinnamon. Sugar water. A bit of black pepper and chili pepper provide some prickliness and substantial heat, the latter of which is unusual with the thin mouthfeel and light flavor. Although initially strong, the peat quickly loses its intensity. It remains as a background layer of herbaceousness mixed with light oiliness and smoke. There's also a slight flavor of roast meat. This seems quite young, but I detect no alcohol or off notes. It's just tending toward the watery side without much flavor beyond a light coating of smoke and peat. F: Sweet with a vague memory of pears and vanilla. Then there's chocolate and chili pepper richness and heat that's a little like mole. Faint roast meat. - Conclusion - This is certainly unusual for an Islay Scotch. It's like a mellow, sweet, young, fruity distillate was blended with some moderately young peated scotch. It's an uncommon and interesting dram, though I can't say that I particularly enjoy it. I wouldn't rate it as low as a 9, but a 13 is definitely too high. Picking now, I'd probably go for a 10. Actually, tasting it side by side with Highland Park 12 (12/23), I think this can get an 11. Thanks for sharing this bottle. I had been curious to try the Machir Bay line and it was a great addition to my Kilchoman tasting series.

This is quite tasty... Well-crafted. Balanced. High quality. Pale yellow. Mezcal aroma - smoke, salt, and a hint of vegetation, followed by buttery biscuit, faint almond, and raw grain. Rich and very sweet initially on the palate, quickly evolving to embrace the peat. Smoked whipped cream with sea salt. Deeply satisfying flavors, but straightforward. A wave of smoke that somehow remains sweet and inviting. Admittedly not a direct comparison, but I'll be damned if this isn't Laphroaig 10's more reserved and sophisticated counterpart that can attend any party, is friendly and engaging and interesting, but doesn't cause any disruption and ultimately might not be the most exciting presence either? Kilchoman finishes by midnight while Lap10 is still recounting the night's events at a diner at 4:30 am. Similar medicinal notes, but even though Lap is quite sweet somehow this surpasses it, and is even defined by it. Not a complaint in any way, and this bottle will likely go quickly... I just wonder if I had to choose between the two why I'd prefer this one.

This spirit is non-chill filtered and has a natural color, appearing similar to a Riesling wine with a very pale hue. Smell: A light smokiness reminiscent of a campfire, akin to Lagavulin, though I recall Lagavulin 16 having more peat. Notes of peach/pear, citrus, and pineapple are also present. Taste: Tropical fruits, white chocolate, and smoke dominate. There are subtle vegetal notes and melon. Finish: I feel the finish could be more substantial; it seems a bit light. It concludes with notes of seawater, black pepper, and the syrup from canned peaches, along with some pleasant tobacco undertones. A commendable first offering from Kilchoman. I am eager to sample more of their expressions! Edit: After further tasting, especially following a dram of Ardbeg Corryvreckan, I detected notes of banana cream pie on the palate. This whisky tasted like liquid banana cream pie!

A complex Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Kilchoman Distillery, a farm distillery established by Anthony Wills in Islay, Scotland. It's made with 30% of their own barley, with the rest bought from Port Ellen Maltings. This expression is a blend of malt aged for 4 and 5 years in Bourbon casks, with an Oloroso finish. It begins smoky with hints of straw, salted white chocolate, and a touch of sherry. Its balanced and clean character develops notes of black pepper, butterscotch, lemon peel, fresh strawberry, and fruit punch, leading to a long, tarry conclusion with tastes of peat, salt, and baking spices. November 2021

The nose is very fresh, with wood smoke, vanilla, and citrus, which carries to the palate where lemon becomes noticeable – almost like a smoked lemon Girl Scout cookie. It's not overpowering, and there's good balance. The overall freshness is what really stands out, likely from a young, well-crafted spirit with minimal cask influence – from wet Buffalo Trace barrels, by the way. The finish lingers pleasantly. I'm quite impressed. I disliked this greatly when I tasted it a long time ago, but it seems my palate has evolved. It brings to mind a young independent bottling of Caol Ila.