I’ve had this bottle ever since it came out and I even opened it rather quickly after I bought it. Strangely, I opened it to give someone else a sample and never tasted it myself. Kind of silly, but there’s a time for everything.

When this one came out I took it on myself to start ‘collecting’ Kilchoman. That was until they started releasing dozens of bottles per year and they all tasted fairly alike. I did end up buying the winter 2009, spring 2010, summer 2010 bottlings, and Whisky Import Nederland‘s first single cask. By now, I’ve sold the first two seasonal ones for a bit of profit, and mostly because I didn’t find them all that interesting after I tasted them elsewhere. The summer 2010 I kept since that was the first one from a bourbon cask, which I prefer.

Of course, this happened because in the beginning I was enthusiastic about Kilchoman, as I probably will be about Gartbreck when it comes on steam, and the new Skye distillery in a couple of years too.

Kilchoman Inaugural Release 2009. Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Fairly sweet with a lot of American oak influence. Slightly fruity with quite a bit of vanilla. Gentle, especially for a three year old. Rather peaty, but not overly so. Definetly Islay style with heather and salt.

Sip:
Slightly malty with vanilla and wood spices. Again, peaty with salt. A bit medicinal too, with heather and other Islay-like flowers (That means stuff that can survive in windswept areas without trees, near the sea).

Swallow:
The finish is pretty long but not overly complex. It takes the most prominent flavours of the palate and repeats that. So, slightly spicy, vanilla, heather, salt, peat.

It isn’t the most interesting dram. It’s also not the most complex. What it is, however, is very drinkable, and incredibly well made. Especially for a three year old to be this well rounded and tasty is a feat worthy of kudos.

Kilchoman Inaugural Release, 2009, 3yo, 46%.