Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength

 

I absolutely loved the Kilkerran 12 year that I tried recently, and my friend Rob graciously donated this sample of the Kilkerran 8 year cask strength. Kilkerran is, of course, a sister distillery of the venerated Springbank distillery. 56.5% ABV, natural color, no chill filtering. How is it, you ask? Let's find out...

Nose: An initial hit of lime peel and young coconut is washed away by very strong vanilla that is distinctly bourbon in nature, leather jackets, and perhaps some toffee or caramel. A hint of dry tobacco leaf? With water, the vanilla and caramel take over, along with a new mossy note. 

Mouthfeel: Extremely silky and smooth. 

Palate: Vanilla, tobacco, leather, a clay note (dough?), some smoke, some marshmallow, fresh cream. Cherry cough syrup? Otherwise, almost no fruit to speak of. With water, the smoke really achieves dominance along with a toasted oak note. Very dry. 

Finish: Toasted oak, smoke, and leather present in a medium-length drying finish.

Verdict: What an interesting, unexpected spirit! I expected a lot more fruit, given the 12 Year's bouquet, but instead it's a dry, leathery dram with the only sweetness coming, seemingly, from the bourbon influence. It certainly is young - it drinks even younger than 8 years, I'd say - but it's also high quality and fascinating. A good winter's day dram, perhaps.