Kilchoman Distillery clearly prides itself on representing Islay to the whisky-loving world at large. Labels from the distillery proclaim their whiskies to be “100% Islay,” though its releases are amongst the very newest from the legendary Scottish island.
True to this ethos, the entire production process is located on Islay, from locally-sourced barley and malting, through distillation, aging, finishing, and, of course, bottling. In addition to creating an impressive family of single malts, Kilchomen operates tours of their farm distillery as well as a cafe and visitor’s center.
Loch Gorm stands apart from its single malt label mates as the only release to feature maturing exclusively in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. The bottle being reviewed today was distilled in 2007, and bottled in 2013.
Named for the peaty loch of the same name located near the distillery, Loch Gorm is a peated single malt which undergoes five years of aging in Oloroso sherry butts before a final six weeks of finishing in Oloroso sherry hogsheads. The final releases are limited in bottling and labeled with the years each was distilled and bottled. The label and box housing Loch Gorm also proudly announce the dram to be non-chill filtered and consisting of natural color.
Tasting Notes:
Vital Stats: 46% ABV (92 proof), distilled in 2007, bottled in 2013, 100% malted barley, mid-$80 range.
Appearance: Caramel, mahogany, very strong legs.
Nose: Very warm and smoky nose. Peat smoke, sherry, leather, warm caramel sauce, cinnamon almonds. I can spend several minutes sifting through the aromas escaping my Glencairn glass. Intriguing.
Palate: Suitable smoky up front, yet less than expected from the nose. Salt, brine, prunes, candied orange peel, tobacco. Very rich with a round and oily mouthfeel. Opens up nicely if allowed to sit in the glass for a bit before sipping. Can be a bit of a bruiser immediately after the pour.
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The burn on the finish is medium in both intensity and duration. Dry, tannic, continued brine and a resurgence of smoke in the aftertaste.
Conclusion:
I initially had a difficult time nailing down my feelings towards this particular dram. There are so many things to enjoy about it, and I definitely do enjoy it overall. The difficulty comes in making sense of the balance achieved in what are bold individual parts.
While the maturation process is intense in a dark way, the whisky itself drinks like a young and bright whisky. These two extremes colliding in one sip can be a challenge. Loch Gorm can take a little time to get to know, but I found the process to be rewarding in the end.
FINAL SCORE: 84/100
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