Kilchoman Debuts 2015 Edition Of Its Loch Gorm Sherry Cask Aged Whisky

Scotland’s Kilchoman distillery, like so many others in this part of the whisky loving world, is flanked by some very marvelous landscape. In the case of Kilchoman and its location of the famous isle of Islay, it sits near Loch Gorm, described as the largest fresh water loch in the area that also happens to be “famously peaty.” It is from this natural setting their Loch Gorm bottling, now in the just released 2015 version, gets its inspiration.

Kilchoman’s Loch Gorm, which we covered around this time last year for the 2014 edition, is positioned by the distillery as being the only “fully ex-sherry cask matured release” in its range. For the 2015 expression it is said to differ from the previous year via “the use of sherry hogsheads to mature a portion of the whisky rather than just sherry butts.  This edition will also be marginally older than the five year old 2014 version, it being bottled from casks filled in both 2009 and 2010.”

“As well as this year’s release being slightly older,” said Kilchoman founder Anthony Wills in a statement, “we decided to increase the ratio of single malt matured in smaller sherry hogsheads versus that matured in larger sherry butts. This increases the influence from the sherry casks and gives the whisky a striking intensity and richness. That said, the whisky retains the balance and complexity Kilchoman releases are well-known for.”

Kilchoman has priced Loch Gorm 2015 at around £63 (around $95 USD). Official tasting notes from the distillery are below.

Nose: Soft, spicy and rich with light smoke dark chocolate and citrus fruit.

Palate: Soft fruits and peat smoke with a rich sweet finish.

Finish: Long and sweet, lingering smoke, well balanced.