Kilchoman Port Cask Scotch Review (2018)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

Kilchoman is quite unlike the other distilleries of that famed Scottish isle of Islay. When it went operational in 2005, it was the first new distillery on the island in 120 years. For a time, it was also the most westerly distillery in Scotland.

Moreover, Kilchoman is a small farm distillery, a throwback to the era when making whisky was how a farmer turned his surplus crop into a marketable, transportable commodity. Once upon a time, the largest share of their malted barley came from their own farm; nowadays it’s more like a fifth.

The one thing Kilchoman hasn’t had is time, and time is a big factor in making Scotch. Their oldest stock has only just passed the 12 year mark that is, at least from a marketing point of view at least, the benchmark for a mature single malt. With youngish spirit to sell, Kilchoman relies greatly on their long fermentation time and cask stock to make a good whisky in a short time, and an example are the Port pipes that go into their annual Port Cask release (and that is fully aged in Port pipes, not Port-finished).

Kilchoman started releasing their Port Cask in 2014, and every year brings a new batch. To bring out the best from that Port cask aging, they bottle it at a not-especially-Scotch-like 50% ABV.

The Scotch
The look on this whisky is dark, moody and quite tawny-red, so the Port influence is obvious from the start. The nose is rich with earthy and sweet red wine qualities, and just a bit oaky. On the palate, it’s a mellow malt, not as wine-y as the nose suggested, but a touch of ash rears its head for the first time. The oak is there throughout. The finish runs out with notes of light ash and charcoal, turning straight into the peat.

The Price
Based on what online retailers are charging, expect to pay anywhere from $90 to $125 for this item.