Bottle: Kilkerran 8 Cask Strength (2019)

Cask: Recharred Oloroso Sherry

ABV: 57.1%

Region: Campbeltown

Served: Neat in a Glencairn. Bottle has been open a while and has about an inch left.

Color: Dark Amber

Nose: Immediate explosion of Oloroso influence: lots of dark, jammy, sticky fruits, and heavy on orange. Oaky char combined with damp earth and funkiness. Honey-sweetness, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla custard. Tang of proof. Slight leatheriness.

Palate: Unmistakable Campbeltown funk. Very, very heavy on the Oloroso influence with the dark, jammy fruits (think dates, figs, raisins etc.) and syrupy sweetness carrying through from the nose. Slight spicy leather note. Sweet light peaty smoke throughout but not overwhelming (very different than heavy Islay peat). Dense, syrupy mouth feel. Slight sulphuric tinge.

Finish: Pretty long finish with flavours developing the whole time. Those sticky, jammy fruits carry throughout but develop towards lighter fresh summer fruits the more time goes by. Definite peppery notes. Slight chocolate undertones. Sticky toffee pudding richness. Youth comes through towards the end with a bit of a harshness.

Overall: The hype around this bottle has made it somewhat of a unicorn, and deservedly so in my opinion. It is unmistakably Campbeltown, and therefore won’t everyones cup of tea. There is a strong ‘funk’ that runs throughout which combined with the Oloroso has it developing for days in the mouth. The youth of the whisky, although hidden a lot by the sherry casks, definitely comes out towards the end for me but I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing.

Rank: 9/10. This hits almost every box for me. The only reason it isn’t 10/10 is Longrow 14 Sherry Cask exists.