Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch #1

Nose: Smoky, thick peat, like wet concrete and charcoal on a campfire; damp wood; vanilla and tart apple sweetness; lemon sherbet citrus; a faint mustiness and sourdough. Taste: Intense and sweet; heavy, viscous peated barley; vanilla; caramelized sugar; dark fruit hints as it develops; pepper. Finish: Medium; with vanilla, caramel, and pepper. A touch of mint and smoked meat. An ashy, burnt wood note remains. Overall thoughts: An exciting young smoky single malt. This is heavily peated, ranking above most other peated malts except Octomore. Despite its youth, this whisky impresses with a surprising range of flavors. A strong debut for their “peat in progress” line, promising good things for peat enthusiasts. Rating: 3.5/5 (recommend trying or buying at a good price)

I wasn't very impressed with this initially when I opened the bottle a few weeks ago with a friend, but a second tasting was more fruitful. The aroma blends a funky character, similar to Springbank, with a touch of peat and sherry. However, these notes diminish significantly with the addition of water, which is necessary for drinking. Straight, this potent spirit is too harsh on the throat to be enjoyable. Diluted to 50%, it still seems unbalanced at first: the earthy peat doesn't quite meld with the Kilkerran spirit, which in its un-peated form is one of the finest new whiskies of this century. With some patience, though, the combination of funk, peat, and a sherry-influenced finish comes together into a more pleasing harmony. It still feels very much like a work in progress, but even in its initial release, it's worth trying.

I enjoyed the Kilkerran 12. It's one of the best you can get for under $15, especially considering its price. This one... I wasn't a fan of. It was far too hot, young, and aggressive. The sooty smoke isn't well integrated with the other flavors. It's really disjointed. Of the 12 we sampled last night at a tasting with a friend, this ranked 3rd from last for me personally, ahead of the Bunna Palo Cortado and Lagavulin 10.

My initial experience with a cask strength bottling. Coming from peat, the fruity notes were quite surprising, along with seaweed and a power that built up. Having tried it alongside a Port Charlotte, a Singleton, and a Bruichladdich, a drop of water would make for a superb vaporization.

I'm uncertain about this. I adore the Kilkerran 12 and 8 year old, but this one didn't feel balanced. I only sampled it once and perhaps it would have improved with more time. I don't believe it's something I would purchase but would certainly like to try it again.

Smoke, brown sugar, and antiseptic on the nose. Smoke and spice on the palate. Quite hot and needed water to detect flavor notes.