Branding themselves as "Islay's Farm Distillery", Kilchoman hosted the third booth at Whiskies of the World San Francisco this year. With just eleven years of availability in the US, this distillery has already built quite a name for itself in the US scotch scene. This time around, they treated us to a number of their own offerings, as well as a great selection of other pours.
The first two bottles from Kilchoman were ones we'd tasted at past events, so we won't have tasting notes for them today. Even without tasting those two, we had another six bottles at this booth! However, we can certainly speak to the positive experiences we've had with their Machir Bay and Sanaig offerings, both excellent scotch expressions.
Kilchoman Small Batch Release No 5 Sauternes
The nose from this Sauternes-finished scotch is full of peat smoke. The palate brings out a light amount of that peat flavor with an almond nuttiness underneath. The finish is surprisingly short compared to the initial strength of the nose, and it mixes that peat with a bit of spice as well.
Kilchoman B.I.B - Bourbon Influenced Batch
Very light on the nose with notes of candied orange peel and other citrus, the scent of this offering also evokes thoughts of a fresh loaf or even shortbread cookies. The palate comes right at you with campfire smoke layered over a bit of cherry pie with some beautiful complexity. The long finish is chewy, really showing off the bourbon influence with a delightful spice.
Ardnamurchan AD/03.21:02
This western highlands single malt scotch has a nice, mellow nose, ever-present with peat. The palate's primary notes are peat and campfire smoke, very smooth throughout. The short finish continues the peated experience further. While this isn't a peat monster by any means, it's fairly consistent and one-note throughout.
Gouden Carolus Single Malt
This single malt from a Belgian brewery is distilled from a Tripel-style beer of the same name. It's matured in first fill bourbon casks before being finished in their own beer casks, creating a very unique experience. The nose is quite sour, a nod to its beer influence. The palate is somewhat chewy and hard to place, evoking memories of a smoky taproom. The medium finish brings out some sweetness balanced by mild spicy to complete the experience.
Kurayoshi 12 Year
This Japanese malt whisky has some ethanol on the nose, mixed with a bit of sweetness. With a medium-heavy mouthfeel and a bit of viscosity, the palate leans into a Scotch-like taste with strong notes of malted barley. The finish is medium-length with a nice cinnamon spice, rounding out a very good whisky overall.
Teaninich 12 Year 2008
While not on the pour list for the event, this booth surprised us with an extra tasting from Teaninich. This distillery is not as well-known as its highland peers because it's more often used as a major component in Drambuie. This cask strength expression begins with a nose that evokes memories of a freshly mowed orchard mixed with a medium amount of ethanol vapors. The palate leads with a decent amount of peat before yielding to a long, hot, and spicy finish.
It's always a treat to see what Kilchoman brings to this event, and this year didn't disappoint. With so many offerings from their distillery alongside a wide variety of other brands, everyone was sure to find a favorite whisky at this booth. Personally, I was close to choosing the Teaninich 12, but ultimately I would go with the Kilchoman Bourbon Influenced Batch if I could only pick one. We can't wait to see what they bring us next year!