Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition review

Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition is a fifty-fifty vatting of 3 and 4 year old whisky matured in first fill and re-fill Ex-Bourbon casks. Kilchoman distillery started producing single malt whisky in 2005. It was the first distillery to be built on the island of Islay in 124 years. The 100% in the name means, that this whisky has all parts of the process – growing barley, malting, distilling, maturing and bottling – carried out on Islay. Their own drying oven gets a peating level of 20-25 ppm (Phenol Parts per Million). To get more ppm, they would have to buy the malt from elsewhere.

THE STRAIGHT STORY comes to life

For its young age, I was surprised about the big character. It is simple and straight forward like whisky this young usually is. Cutting to the chase very fast, still offering a nice surprise with salt and spices, that turn into sugar. Kilchoman’s 2nd Edition of 100% Islay pretty much made me think of The Straight Story. A simple movie where an old man makes a long journey by tractor to see his ill brother. A story told in a chronological order and as straightly as you can. And surprisingly, it is directed by David Lynch. How can a Lynch movie be so “un-Lynchy”? Well, this Islay whisky is very much like Islay, smoky big character – made with commitment and passion.

Matured in:

Ex-Bourbon casks

Colour: Sunlight

Nose: Very lively aromas of salty smoke and peat come right away. Balancing between spices and barley with small hints of tobacco on the back.

Taste: Salty notes similar as in the nose are just a memory fading away. The palate is more on the sweet side with sweet peat and wee smoke. Sugared barley is strong and nice.

Finish: Very long and nice – very straight forward too, with smoke, hay and pepper.

Balance: In nice balance, even though it’s a simple whisky. Manages to offer some big character and a mix of sweet and peppery notes. But even with the mix, it is non-complex.

Scoring

Nose:Taste:Finish:Balance:

Distillery: Kilchoman Region: Islay ABV: 50% Non-chill filtered, no added colour

Did you know?

Located on the western side of Islay, it was the most westerly distillery in Scotland before the Abhainn Dearg distillery began distilling on the Isle of Lewis in 2007. Kilchoman’s capacity is small (90 000 litres per year) and they are one of only six Scottish distilleries still doing traditional floor-maltings.

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