Kilkerran 16 Year

I finally obtained a taste of the Kilkerran 16y. When it was launched last year, it sold out so quickly I didn't even notice it had arrived. I'm enjoying a dram of the 12y right beside the 16y for a direct comparison. The 12y is among my most cherished whiskies. It possesses all the qualities I appreciate in a whisky and provides satisfaction at every turn. Therefore, I was extremely interested in the next age statement release. Nose: The distinct Campeltown character is immediately apparent. Aromas of driftwood, mineral-rich earth and sand, vibrant fruits, and a pleasant, subtle, chewy fresh peat. Citrus and yellow pears. Vanilla. Malt. Initially not overly sweet. Palate: The signature peat is delightful from the outset, accompanied by tart fruits, bright nuts, lemon & grapefruit zest, toasted wheat bread, all with a smooth texture. Finish: Enjoyable and moderately long, though a bit peculiar (slightly fermented orchard fruits) and quite sweet towards the end, followed by a mild woody bitterness. Compared to the 12y, the nose is significantly more pronounced and noticeable. However, it's also fruitier and sweeter. And distinct. Even though the 12y's nose is slightly less intense, I favor it more (it's far more unique and has a captivating caramel note alongside all the wonderful peat and wood aromas). It's fascinating how different the two noses are. The same applies to the palate. Both are good, but the 12y is more characteristic and engaging. Verdict: The 16y is a pleasant whisky but regrettably unremarkable. It too closely resembles a standard Glen Scotia, which I found somewhat uninspiring across several expressions. This whisky fits that profile, which is quite unlike the 12y that truly stands out and offers something entirely novel. It's astonishing how dissimilar they are. Frankly, if tasted blind, I wouldn't identify the 16y as a Kilkerran bottling. Certainly Campeltown. But not Glengyle. So, as my 12y bottle is almost empty, I will (contrary to my initial intentions) purchase another 12y instead of upgrading to the 16y, which honestly doesn't feel like an upgrade. It's still good, though. I'm pleased I finally had the chance to try it. Less pleased that it doesn't feel like progress.

Tasted at The Oak Barrel Springbank event on May 28, 2022. This is a tasting of the second batch of the 16-year-old. Nose: Floral (bergamot) and grassy (hay) notes with a subtle coastal influence. It presents like a summer fruit salad (peaches, apricots, pears, and cherries), but gracefully and delicately rather than overtly. Pineapple and beeswax are present on the periphery, along with the faintest hint of peat. Toasted cereal notes, similar to shortbread, are also subtle. Adding water enhances sweetness and depth. Palate: Honey and orange liqueur on the arrival, with a spicy peaches and cream quality developing. There's a touch of brine, toffee, and tannin, and it has a warming, full texture. Water adds body to the palate, and it improves the longer it sits after dilution. A light peppery peat presence is very smooth. Finish: Medium. Waxy and mildly tannic, while retaining cereal sweetness, with a hint of briny minerals in the aftertaste. The finish could be a bit longer, but what's there is exquisite. I'm not surprised this hasn't been more broadly popular. It lacks a typical west-coast profile, which would disappoint those who seek out "Campbeltown funk." It aligns more with a north-east highland character and shares similarities with Clynelish. In fact, there's a faint resemblance to old Brora. A fine, elegant, and poised whisky with an old-fashioned profile that likely won't appeal to palates preferring a more contemporary style. However, this era of Glengyle's production will be more appreciated over time. "Very Good": 87/100 (4.25 stars)

I've been holding onto another one of these bottles to review, and I suppose I'll do it now. I also just realized I never reviewed the 12-year-old? What the heck? I'll need to correct that as well. Nose - I detect a glue-like aroma with sharp sourness, followed by alcohol-soaked apple, seeming barely off the still (after 16 years?), a hint of what might be a white wine note, and some yeast esters. It's a sweet expression, not excessively oaked or even slightly cask-forward; these casks better not have been first-fill bourbon casks, because if they were, they originally held some VERY YOUNG bourbon. Taste - A general sweetness with very light peat, salt, and just a buttery vanilla with slightly funky, off-distillate notes. There's not much here, folks. It has some milk-like notes that are slightly off, some cheese (think white curds), and funk. Now, all this might sound worse than it is. It's not a bad whisky. It's just not good, either. Each time I return to this bottle, it disappoints me further, and this is the most disappointing pour yet. I'm giving it a score of 2.0 and I'll move on to the 12-year-old next. If the 12 scores below a 2.5, I'm calling it a night, because honestly, I thought this would score a 2.25, maybe a 2.5 at most, but I wouldn't go higher. However, I've compared this to all the other whiskies I've tried tonight on different tastings, as well as drinking it by itself, and nothing has changed my overall final impression: this isn't worth $140 and it's not better than the 12-year-old.

This whisky quickly became a favorite when it was first released, so I was eager to sample the new older edition. It’s a permanent addition to the lineup, but the combination of casks will vary each year. For the initial bottling, there's a small quantity of Madeira casks included, an interesting selection. My sample was part of a tasting pack released for an event in October but which I opened only last night for another session at home. The aroma initially reminds me more of a specific type of whisky than its younger sibling, with notes of grass and barley. There’s lemon too, which is more reminiscent of its younger counterpart. More notably, a rich apricot aroma develops over time. Flavor-wise, it’s creamy and malty, with a hint of orange rind oil and a touch of oak spice. The finish leans towards sweet tea and a gentle oak spice. This is very different from the earlier bottling, and it's clearly partly due to the Madeira casks. The tasting pack included a single cask bottling distilled in 2014, and the apricot aroma is very apparent. I much preferred the single cask to this bottling, partly due to the oily texture of its higher alcohol content and a musky grape note. But overall, the success of the earlier bottling proves hard to surpass, relegating this bottling to the status of a difficult follow-up. In time I might appreciate it more, but for now I'll stick with the hit debut.

Aroma - earthy peat, scorched orange zest, faint sulfur, peach, lemon meringue, grape, spoiled cream, hay, sugar cookie, pineapple, with mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - citrusy peat, peach, spoiled cream, lemon, orange zest, sulfur, brine, caramel, mint, decaying floral notes, sour apple, with a mild to moderate alcohol bite. The finish is medium-long with fresh peat, lemon, and light sulfur flavors. Aside from a single taste of a previous bottling a while ago, this is my first significant encounter with this brand. I was expecting something similar to another brand, but likely not as good. And I believe that's what we have here. The aroma is a lighter version of that characteristic funk. There’s earthy peat, a hint of pencil eraser sulfur, overripe stone fruit, and rotten citrus. The taste brings some spoiled cream and fruit, a touch of brine, and general notes of organic decay. This is slightly more demanding than another whisky, but I enjoy it about the same. However, it falls short of most bottlings from a particular brand I've tried, including their standard offering. It hits many of those classic aromas and flavors associated with its origin, but they are less intense, more sour, and more incomplete than I had hoped. And while the finish lingers nicely, the mouthfeel is on the thin side. A big thank you to a friend for providing the generous sample!

The aroma begins with a blend of gooseberries, baby formula, and faint barnyard funk, followed by light smoke, earthy minerality, and prunes. It then presents sour apples, lemon pith, and orange zest, transitioning to ocean brine, soft vanilla, and a subtle peppery oak spice, accompanied by a mild ethanol sting. The palate has a thin texture, starting with a mild bitter spice that gradually fades into a mix of gooseberries, baby formula, and very light barnyard funk, then charred hay bales and seaside rock minerality. Sour apples, lemon pith, and grapefruit appear next, leading to ocean brine, soft vanilla, and a gentle peppery oak spice with a slight ethanol burn. The finish is short, with lemongrass, sour apple, ocean brine, charred hay bales, and ashy oak. This is my first Kilkerran, and I was anticipating a profile similar to Springbank. However, this comes across as a watered-down version of Springbank. The flavors are very subtle, with an unusual milky taste alongside sour fruits, mild barnyard notes, and ocean brine. Overall, it's not a bad drink, but it strikes me as just slightly above average. Many thanks to a friend for the generous sample.