Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured (2021 Edition)

Nose: Campfire smoke and blackberry jam. Buttered toast with more jammy berries. Iodine, dash of sea spray, and strawberry jam. Lots of jam here, apparently. Bit of citrus, vanilla, and a dry red wine. Peat character eventually lightens from smoke to just a charcoal kissed dried lavender bush. Palate: Vanilla, cherries, citrus, and rich earthy, heathery peat with a decidedly Highland Park twang to it. Slightly sour with an oily, heavy mouthfeel. Spiced caramel apple cider. Heat starts to build about halfway through a pour - it reminds a bit of a bourbon barrel type of heat, but definitely moves to the finish with some vegetable and chili pepper bite. Finish also has lingering caramel, lemon citrus, a little of the campfire smoke and jam from the nose, and a nice smoked vanilla. This is just a lovely Islay single malt. Great balance of peat, smoke, little bit of malt character, and then the jammy, berry notes from the PX casks. Can't think of anything bad to say about this dram. It's a bit pricey, but it doesn't feel out of line for basically an Islay craft whisky on a limited run (only 12,000 bottles). I would do it again. _______ Please come join a bunch of regular reviewers are chatting spirits in real time on Discord: https://discord.gg/4nfePCdyKM. (If the link is expired, post a comment and I will post a new one.)

What's better than a sherry-aged Kilchoman? A PX sherry-aged Kilchoman. The Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured, a recent 2021 release, is fantastic. If you've tried Sanaig, which is Oloroso Sherry matured, you understand how well this "farm distillery's" spirit takes to sherry aging. It's bottled at a pleasant 47.3% ABV and boasts the most striking reddish hue imaginable. On the nose, expect abundant chocolate. Subtle notes of adhesive, silicone, dried grass, and smoke. It smells like tilled earth and iodine. Following an initial taste, the scent shifts to a sun-drenched coast; it evokes coconut and beach celebrations. You'll detect notes of bronzer, coffee, and maraschino cherry syrup. Allowing it to air out revealed a pungent peat, reminiscent of fish. Exceptionally intricate. The palate is dominated by red fruits. It features sherry and red wine characteristics. Indulge in milk chocolate delirium; it's incredibly smooth, like a marshmallow. The finish is remarkable. Sand and salinity. Sulfurous and metallic, yet also sweet. In conclusion, this is essential in my opinion. Don't miss out on this one. The PX Sherry has converted the Kilchoman peatiness into wild aromatic and flavor profiles, incredibly complex and pleasing. Bursting with taste, I rate this 95 out of 100.

The nose offered light peat, rich tobacco, and dark chocolate. The palate was full of the same tobacco, sweet sherry-influenced dried fruits, and a moderate peat level I enjoyed. The finish was not very long, but the whisky felt refined and mature despite having no age statement. A worthwhile purchase at $100.

This Isaly is another success. It has peaty smoke alongside honey, butterscotch, berries, lemon, and some walnut. A nicely balanced pour that has a medium body. While not my top Islay choice, it definitely possesses complexity and I want to investigate it further with multiple sips down the line.

Nose: fruits, rubber, berries, figs, faint smoke, warming spices. Palate: mirrored the nose with berries, figs, a bit more smoke, becoming pungent near the end. Finish: long, sticky, honey sweetness, tobacco, smoke.

Smell: sherry, brown sugar, and orange aromas Palate: sherry leads the way and is a very prominent flavor, with orange notes in the background Aftertaste: a smooth, medium-length finish with sherry as the final taste