A primeur for the Elements of Islay series. This is the first ever independent bottling of Kilchoman, the youngest distillery on Islay. There’s no age statement, but obviously it can’t be older than 5 years.

Kilchoman ‘Kh1’
(59,7%, Elements of Islay 2011, 50 cl)

Nose: very peaty of course with a rather dry start. Mainly ex-bourbon casks? Gentian. Oily notes and soot. Ashes. After a while it develops faint notes of bandages, then some brina and buttered toast and finally some nice, rounded notes of vanilla. It gets better by the minute. Overall clean and focused, without any of the (too) youngish notes of past official bottlings. Mouth: a little sweeter / maltier. Powerful with quite some peppery hotness. Sweet peat and soot. Medicinal notes. Soft vanilla again. Nice notes of baked apple towards the end. Finish: rounder, still some of these apple notes. Very long and peaty. Slightly grassy in the very end.

One of the best Kilchoman releases I’ve had so far, with a balanced sweet touch alongside the heavy peat. Around € 60 – available from TWE.

Score: 86/100