Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength Sherry Cask (2019)

Is this the overhyped whiskey of the year? I sampled this when it first arrived in the UK and found it to be immature and off-putting, but I purchased my own bottle to re-evaluate. So, has it improved? Nose - Oak dominates, quite a bit actually. Then I detect unripe banana, indicating IMMATURE whiskey. Very high alcohol presence. I also get some chalk and possibly brown sugar. Oddly, I'm not detecting much sherry, but I'll revisit this after adding water. Water may have introduced a dusty quality. High alcohol and perhaps some cherry, which I perceive in the flavor, so that might be influencing my perception. Taste - There are some earthy notes, clay, oak, and surprisingly, corn reminiscent of raw corn, cereal notes, followed by chocolate and those alcohol-soaked cherries. Adding water reveals a sweeter dram with more prominent sherry characteristics. It still tastes young, with an alcoholic bite and some distinctive, intriguing flavors. You know, cinnamon – a lot of it, more than I've encountered in any scotch. It rivals Balcones malt levels of cinnamon or certain Booker's expressions. It's approaching Red Hot candy intensity. I'm genuinely not enjoying this. Everything about it feels "craft" and unique, which I want to appreciate. It's simply not pleasant to drink. That being said, the alcohol by volume is good, and they clearly utilized an active cask. I'm assigning a score of 1.75, but my enjoyment level would suggest a 1.0. I apologize, I just don't understand it. I dislike it.

Four months after opening, with the bottle less than half full, this is one of the most letdowns I've ever bought, especially given all the buzz and high ratings. It has a significant alcohol burn, reminiscent of a very young spirit, and an uninspiring flavor. Considering the excellent scores, there might be considerable quality differences with Kilkerran. I also have the 12-year expression and am not thrilled. I won't be buying any more Kilkerran... no thank you!

Complex and unusual. The aroma is beautiful and intricate. Very strong sherry notes, rubbery, plum, warming spices, a hint of smoke. Caramel-like sweetness. Everything is in perfect balance. Despite the high alcohol content, there's no burn. The palate is too intense with alcohol for me without water, even after several sips. With a little water, it becomes creamy and warming with spices and a slightly unusual note, leading to a subtle dryness in the finish. A very intriguing spirit.

A great combination of sherry, peat, Campbeltown character, earthy notes, and funk. Nose: Strawberries, Raspberries, Flowers, Apricot, Chocolate, Toffee, Peat, Diesel, Pepper, Vanilla, Citrus, Raisins, Mango, Cherries, Dates, Bananas, Almond. Palate: Peat, Diesel, Smoke, Raisins, Dark chocolate, Pepper, Oak, Orange peel. Finish: Salt, Chocolate, Pepper, Tar, Raisins. I preferred the 15-year Oloroso Wood slightly more.

The aroma presents a funky cheese scent, combined with a deep sherry sweetness, creating a remarkably intriguing whiff. It shares some olfactory similarities with an Octomore, but is distinctly funkier! The taste is peculiar; the alcohol content causes it to almost vanish on the tongue, yet the funky aroma carries through to the palate. It's a dark sherry, not a sweet fruity variety, offering complex flavors that I may not fully grasp...

Somewhat underwhelming so far. My bottle has been open for 10 weeks, with the level an inch below the neck, and I'm tasting it again as I write this review. The sherry aroma is pleasant, but there's a somewhat harsh alcohol burn accompanied by odd flavors. My overall impression is 'Mediocre'! I will check again in another month to see if oxidation has caused any softening or mellowing.