Kilchoman Fino Sherry Cask Matured 2023 Edition /50%/ – Kilchoman Distillery takes its name from the small settlement located on the western side of Islay. Established in 2005, it is the first distillery to be built on the island of Islay in 124 years. An expansion completed in 2018 doubled the distillery capacity but still did not meet demand for Kilchoman single malt; another expansion is planned for 2023, which after completion will bring the capacity up to 975,000 liters of spirit per annum. Kilchoman has been experimenting with various types of wood for full and finishing maturation. The 2023 Fino Sherry Cask Matured edition is a vatting of 20 Fino sherry butts sourced from Bodega José y Miguel Martin. The whisky was aged for a minimum of five years, then bottled at 50% abv without chill filtration in the Spring of 2023 with an outrun of 15,650 bottles.
Nose: peat smoke, sea breeze, moist hay, malted barley, green apples, lemons, quince jam, touch of pineapples, chamomile tea, and bunch of fresh herbs.
Palate: peat smoke, vanilla, honey, maple syrup, grapefruits, green apples, lemon peel, white pepper, salted peanuts, and delicate oaky dryness.
Finish: medium long, malty, with notes of sea salt and pepper, peat smoke, lemon peel, roasted nuts and oak tannins.
