Another one of these random samples from the sample cupboard. I have no idea where it came from, but it’s an interesting one so I’m not going to feel bad about that for too long!

It’s been a while since I tried any wine cask Springbank-ish whiskies, and even while I generally avoid wine casks, Springbank, and therefore Kilkerran or Glengyle does have some good ones. This one was bottled for The Nectar in Belgium in 2015, so it might be the case that it was sitting on my shelf since forever.

Sniff:
There’s a sooty sweetness at first, with ‘Springbank-y’ funkiness. The wine cask is quite restrained, with some dark red fruits being added.

Sip:
The palate packs a bit of a punch with the high abv resulting in some chili heat. Other than that there are notes of mole, strawberry vinegar and rancio. On top of the funkiness, that is.

Swallow:
The finish is surprisingly sharp and dry, with grist and sawdust coming forward. The slight vinegar and cocoa powder notes remain, as does a confit blackberry note.

I really like that the wine cask was used with some restraint. As in, it isn’t here to overpower what the distillate generally does, but just add a few fruity notes here and there and, in my opinion, that is how these casks should be used. Especially when you have a great spirit like Kilkerran. Good stuff!

86/100

Of course, this has sold out ages ago.