Kilkerran 12 - Review
Age: 12 years
Barrel type: 70% ex-bourbon barrels, 30% ex-sherry casks
Region: Campbeltown
ABV: 46%
Price: $60
Additional details: non-chill filtered, natural color
There aren't new distilleries opening every day in Scotland, and not every new distillery is going to be great right off the bat. Kilkerran is the exception. The distillery behind it is actually named Glengyle, and is a bit of a resurrection project by the Springbank owners -- who must be some of the finest people in scotch. Those guys are single-handedly reviving Campeltown's unique scotch style, which is a lightly peated style similar to some island scotches like Talisker. Glengyle was the name of a defunct distillery from the region, which the Springbank guys reopened. Judging by this scotch, that name's about to get much more famous soon.
Like most new distilleries, Glengyle started releasing scotch to pay the bills while waiting for this 12-year old scotch's release in 2016. Thus, Kilkerran has had several "works in progress" expressions come out in the past few years. Those scotches received heaps of praise, so it stands to reason that this one will be no different.
Appearance: If medieval monks made scotch, it'd be Kilkerran 12. The monks wouldn't have chill filtering or artificial colors, of course. And perhaps the more artistic among them would even make a label akin to this elegant, black-and-white statement. Never change, Kilkerran. Don't let the ad executives and marketing department corrupt this scotch. In the glass, it's a pale straw or hay color, with slightly watery legs that drop quickly.
Nose: There's a lot to love here: tropical fruit, high minerality, earthy peat, soil, vanilla, and sherry. This scotch is similar to Kilchoman Machir Bay but a little fruitier, and a little less smoky. It has the earthy, "farmy" characteristic that's often associated with Campbeltown scotches.
Palate: This is a sweet and floral take on a peated scotch, with a lot of pepper and spice starting in the mid-palate. It's got a Highland single malt character at the beginning, but those flavors roll deep. The acidic lemon-lime notes that are common to Islay and Campbeltown scotches stand out immediately, yet this dram shifts between the citrus fruits, sometimes coming closer to grapefruit. The texture is oily and almost feels like there's some grittiness to it -- not in a bad way, just because some of that minerality carries through to the palate as well.
Finish: The sherried finish here is reminiscent of Bunnahabhain 12, but with little wisps of smoke and mint, and a generous shake of pepper. Fresh green wood lingers the longest. It's a medium-length finish. I'm not getting as much peat smoke as I expected. Something shifted in this bottle after we opened it. It seemed smokier in my first taste or two, but now halfway through the bottle a few weeks later (after a big party with friends, not all me!), the smoke is fainter.
Value for Money and Final Impressions: This scotch was one of the most anticipated releases of the last few years, and it gets tremendous reviews. The hype may have slightly outpaced the reality here, which is that Glengyle has produced an impressive scotch, but one that may be a little unbalanced at the moment. It has a bit too much of that citrus acid in my opinion, which knocks it down one peg below the Ardbegs and Kilchomans of the world. That being said, this is a stellar 12-year scotch with an interesting interplay of flavors, and I'm glad I got a bottle. For what it's worth, it also was the biggest hit at a party with a bunch of friends, so Kilkerran hits that sweet spot where a lot of different palates find it enjoyable.
Rating: B+