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30th May 2024 |
Kilchoman
Sauternes Cask Matured 2024 is only the
second fully sauternes cask matured
single malt from the Islay farm
distillery, the first release being back
in 2016.
 Kilchoman has reintroduced a beloved
classic: the 'Kilchoman
Sauternes Cask Matured', which we first
saw back in September 2016.
This 2024 limited edition Kilchoman
Sauternes Cask Matured whisky has
undergone full maturation in
ex-Sauternes wine casks and has been
bottled at 50% ABV. Anthony Wills,
Kilchoman's Founder, selected a mix of
fresh and refill Sauternes barriques
from two different years, the youngest
being from 2018. This careful selection
they tell me has achieved a harmonious blend of buttery
sweetness, barbecued pineapple, candied
ginger, and floral peat smoke.
Maturing whisky in Sauternes casks is
particularly challenging, especially for
full-term maturation, making this
release pretty rare. Kilchoman's first
Sauternes Cask Matured edition, released
in 2016, was aged entirely in fresh
Sauternes casks for five years. The
second edition in 2018 was finished for
five months in Sauternes casks.
For this release, Anthony opted for a
vatting of 22% fresh and 78% refill
casks from two distillation years. The
distillery tells me that this
approximately 3:1 ratio of fresh to
refill casks strikes the perfect balance
between Sauternes influence and
Kilchoman character. Most of the refill
casks used were previously part of the
2018 Sauternes finish release. Utilising
Sauternes casks for finishing prepares
them ideally for full maturation,
extracting intense Sauternes influence
during the shorter finishing period and
developing casks with ample Sauternes
character without compromising structure
or balance.
Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder
commented on the 2024 release, saying:
"After a six year absence, the Sauternes
Cask Matured Kilchoman is back! The
previous edition was a Sauternes finish,
now it’s time for a return to the full
power that complete maturation in these
wine casks brings. Waves of sweet fruits
and butterscotch balanced with our Islay
peat smoke, a delicious dram,"
Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured 2024 is bottled at
50% ABV, non chill-filtered and
naturally coloured and it will be (while
stocks last) available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
|
Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured 2024 Review
|
Bottled at 50% ABV.
Producer's
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A
mix of creamy butter and vanilla infused
with lovely sweet peat smoke and just a
touch of a salty edge.
Taste: The
first wave brings delicious sweet peat
infused creamy butterscotch which fills
every corner of the mouth, this is
followed by some equally delicious
gentle candied fruit, pineapple and
pear, then comes a lovely touch of
pepper and oak.
Finish: Very
long, delicious Kilchoman floral peat
smoke piggybacks on the equally
delicious candied sugars and clings to
the palate for an age before letting
the peppery oak spice have the final
word.
Comment:
Perhaps it is rather appropriate that I
taste this outstanding expression on
Kilchoman Fèis Ìle Day 2024. The
Sauternes casks have made for a
irresistibly delicious candied sweet
Kilchoman, here's hoping it isn't
another 8 years before we see this again
but just in case I recommend you grab
yourself a bottle or two while you have
the chance
SMW Whisky Score
93/100
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