🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

The 8-year-old and strong 2019 bottling from Kilkerran was allowed to mature in Oloroso Sherry barrels and already captivates with a dark mahogany color. Those who got hold of a bottle at the issue price can count themselves lucky, because the prices have already doubled after 9 months. Well deserved, because with the bottling Kilkerran has made a big hit.

Starts very nice and interesting, too bad the finish is a bit spoiled by leathery notes – overall not bad

I have most of the samples marked with only the Whiskybase number, so for greater objectivity I taste them three times, while the first two tastings are blind. I really enjoy this sample from the very beginning! Beautifully fruity, yet not particularly distinctly sweet. I guess something around 46% and maturing after red wine. Beautifully integrated alcohol - especially considering that it is an 8-year-old whisky. After the first tasting, I would rate it at 90 points, but after the other two, it is just a little less. The first tasting was by far the best in this case and also most of the tasting notes come from it. This is exactly the bottle one wants to have at home. Too bad the current astronomical price. Well, who hesitates ... (Evaluated on a sample basis.)

Grilled meat smoke and sherry quite a nice combination

Not the first 8yo in barrel strength that the Glengyle Distillery brings to the people, but the first one that comes up with such a deep dark color - and so its predecessors, which were only allowed to slip through a bourbon barrel, are still available everywhere at a fairly reasonable price, while Ms. Sherry is ripped out of the hands of the shops; and sometimes at prices that you don't like to see on an 8yo on the price tag. Well then: as red as it is, it also tastes red - and that without flaw or blame on the nose and on the palate. Strong, yes, but hey, are 57.1%. Wonderfully integrated alcohol, great sherry flavors, no sulfur whatsoever.

Nice and intense whisky, a lot of sherrycask influence combined with real woodfire smoke, which makes it quite irresistable. Very good dram.

First impression from the pour: Sweaty socks, sweaty armpits, damp clothes, fermented tofu, and kimchi juice. I do like sulfur and dirty sherry, but this is far too filthy. 30 minutes later: Mellowed down dirt, but still reminiscent of sweaty socks, but, this time with soil and dirt in the background.

Price / value champion, beats the bourbon line. 88/89.

Nose 22, taste 22, finish 22, balance 22

Tea, dark copper color.

Despite a bottle polishing review: https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/revisiting-kilkerran/ ,.... it seems there’s plenty of this left. After a little {vintage Macallan and Longmorn] sherried whisky action, let’s see how this contemporary young dram holds up. Time to kill this Kilkerran. N: Of course, it’s useless comparing this with 1962 Macallan. It’s hardly like for like. What I learned about this one before, is to allow the lively syrup and tannins to settle for the meatier, oilier, and more agricultural/industrial notes to emerge. Tonight, the vanilla speaks clearly as does a citrusy tutti-frutti vibe, so more gelateria than macellaio [butchers] today, though is that Peperami? Could this be the ultimate meat lovers icecream! Suet creme brulee is real-life option. Let’s not leave out the suggestion of grassy creosote and the dank dunnage-y aspect that lurks underside of the keen leathery cask resins. And how about [chick] pea jus with a drizzle of pomegranate glaze? Indeed, there’ll be a chickpea gravy coming to a well-being centre near you, soon. It’s a fun nose, and everyone will come up with plenty of personal descriptors. T: And it’s not only on the nose that this one excels. This is a case of where an active cask and stable distillate enable each other their individual rights of way. Sherry cask it maybe, but salty > malty > citrus > fruit rye] vanillas are never far away,... F: ,... alongside more leathery > cereal bar [albeit soft to formidable resinous] vanillins, there’s more of that desirable saltiness at the end, with a sweet-briny < [digestive = oat cake] biscuity-ness. On subsequent sips, it’s straight to herbal toffee ice cream,... and Aftersun!? The unusualness never stops. What a fabulous whisky. No wonder this was so popular, C: Again, comparing to 1962 Macallan is hardly useful, except for getting some perspective on some wildly exaggerated scores for this Kilkerran. A masterpiece, this is not, yet I can imagine this ageing [in glass] like a peach in 20 years time. Put a bottle aside and you could have an Old & Rare exhibit for 2040. Until then, it’s a cracking young affordable single cask whisky. Easily the same excellent score as before .

1567) Kilkerran, 8YO, Cask Strength, Glengyle Distillery, Batch 4, Bottled 2019

That was actually a big hit for the price called, I unfortunately let it pass me by.

Intense While this is already batch 4 of the Kilkerran Cask Strength, it is the first I ever try. It matured on re-charred oloroso hogshead, which explains the color. And it is bottled at 57.1% ABV, they could have named it Kilkerran 100 Proof, right? Anyway, let me just get down to it. Oh, my, this is an intense nose! On the one hand dark and fruity notes, but those are very quickly overpowered by green garden herbs, ribs on the barbecue, curry ketchup and freshly polished leather. But beware: there is also a big whiff of sulfur in there. That’s not for everyone. Nice smokiness too. The alcohol let’s itself be felt on the palate. Again dark and sweet notes first, like coffee, figs, milk chocolate and fresh cherries, but turns rather umami with lots of oak. The smokiness is less outspoken than on the nose. It’s a lot sweeter than the nose promised too. This is quickly going in the right direction. The sulfur evaporates and makes room for more red fruit, honey and plum liqueur. Literally turns honeysweet. Even the finish is intense. Red fruit, pepper, smoke. A bitter, dry note at the death, but it does not detract in the least. Wow, that was an intense flavor bomb.