Nose: Strong sherry influence and soft peat. There’s a nice balance with the classic ‘Campbeltown funk’. Using that term feels like a cop-out. Not everybody will understand what that smells like exactly. But it’s there in spades. As well as a slight dirtiness. Some rubber, but luckily not as much. A good amount of mango, some tangerines too, and papaya as well as burlap and tobacco.
Taste: Starting on tobacco, mint leaves and earthy peat. A quick hit of fennel and thyme as well. Then blackcurrants, a hint of fudge and dried apricots. But also some touches of sulphur again.
Finish: Lingering finish with sweet cereals, a touch of rubber and honey.
CONCLUSION
While good, I don't regret not having bought a bottle when I was in Campbeltown last month. For my money, the Kilkerran 8 Years Cask Strength works best in ex-bourbon casks. There's a dirtiness here that I'd attribute to the ex-sherry casks. Not that I only enjoy ultra-clean, crisp whisky. Ben Nevis has turned dirtiness into an art form. But there it's part of the spirit character. Here I feel it's the cask. That's a big difference.
Serge Valentin (88)
We were quite taken by the 2022 release (WF 88). Colour: gold. Nose: this is by no means a heavy, smothering oloroso; rather, it opens with gunflint and smoked ham, followed by stewed rhubarb and white currants, bringing a lovely freshness. A touch of tobacco, coffee, and leather, but all handled with a light touch. With water: notes of lemon and a hint of lard, chalk, courgette flower, and raw wool (let’s say a new jumper from your favourite label—Gucci, if you must). Mouth (neat): immensely powerful yet lively and refined, with a saline and mineral profile reminiscent of certain finos. Tobacco and a rooty character (gentian, celery). With water: superbly salty, with kirsch, green peppercorns, and bitter almonds—my favourites. Finish: long, echoing those mineral smoky notes. Comments: not a single reason to deviate from the score of two years ago. I do quite like this tense, vibrant sherry.
