Kilchoman NAS Single Sherry Cask Release KWM (60%, OB, C#322, D’ 15/11/2006 B’13/09/2011)

A single cask bottled for Kensington Wine Mart in Calgary Alberta from Islay’s newest distillery. And bottled at a prodigious 60% ABV; on the nose there is a very good richness but also a very big presence of peat smoke and some nice influence from the cask (chocolate and mocha) as well as some slight green or vegetal notes. The sherry influence shows as rich maple syrup which is a welcome addition to the mix. The undiluted taste is very strong with an aggressive peat some attack as well as an assault by the high alcohol but it’s manageable but just. Some good fruit. With water it’s significantly richer and rounder and oily and chewy and all very good. It handles water very well which improves the taste significantly and quite shockingly brings out even more of the very rich peat smoke and chocolate. These two momentarily obliterate the sherry but really, who cares? The finish is strong and very malty chewy with more peat smoke in the back ground and then more of the grain, like chewing on peated malt straight from the kiln.

Amazingly good. Amazingly big and a stunner.

$115 exclusively to Kensington Calgary

Score 88 points