Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 4

By Barry Bradford on December 1, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

What they say

Batch Four of Kilkerran’s heavily peated single malt was matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks

Official tasting notes

Nose: Opens up to reveal citrus notes, vanilla cheesecake, rhubarb and custard sweets with delicate peat smoke.
Palate: Freshly baked Bramley apple pie and sweet salted caramel. The peat is prolific yet well integrated. A fresh coastal influence evokes memories of a blustery, busy, sea sprayed harbour.
Finish: Long and creamy. Notes of toasted oak and pencil shavings give way to a lasting sweet, fruity peat smoke.

What I say

Kilkerran’s Heavily Peated or ‘Peat in Progress’ range was launched in 2019 with 2 batches, a further batch was released in 2020 and this expression Batch 4 released 2021. Bottled at 58.6% ABV and constructed from 80% ex-Bourbon and 20% ex-Sherry cask maturation.

ABV 58.6%
Age NAS
Bottler Official
Bottling Kilkerran
Cask Bourbon & Sherry
Category Single malt Scotch whisky
Cost £43
Origin Springbank Distillery
Outturn n/a
Region Campbeltown
Released 2021
Vintage undeclared

My tasting notes

Appearance Mid amber gold (8/20) medium-large tears and thick legs.
Nose Heavy earthy peat, turfy, ashen, still burning, phenol, lemon juice, apple pie, malty sugars and plenty of smoked bacon and bbq meaty aromas.
Taste Sugary and syrupy, honey, golden syrup, then peat & black pepper, quite spiced, turfy and fibrous peat, palate thickens, reduced with water more soft brown sugar, treacle toffee, caramel and vanilla creme brulee.
Finish Long, sweet honey and smoke, salted nut brittle.
Overall Very peaty as expected, I felt this one was much better when reduced with water as lots of flavours were masked or locked away behind the wall of peat smoke.