Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Finish
2018 Limited Edition
50% ABV
$95 – $100
Website
What the Distillery Says
Sauternes Cask Finish, a limited edition release of just 30 casks, is on its way around the world, hitting shelves any time from Monday 1st October 2018.
The Sauternes Cask Finish follows a range of wine cask releases we’ve bottled over the previous five years. This latest offering differs in that it was initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred into fresh Sauternes hogsheads for five months prior to bottling. This finishing period allows the caramel and vanilla influence of bourbon barrels to be accentuated by the buttery sweetness of the desert wine casks. Meanwhile the classic peat smoke and citrus character of the Kilchoman spirit brings a distinct depth and punch to the whisky, emphasised at the increased strength of 50%.
We have previously favoured full-term maturation for our wine cask releases, bottling fully matured Port, Madeira, Red Wine and Sauternes editions every other year since 2013. The Sauternes Cask Finish approach has arguably provided a more balanced character, combining both the maritime peat smoke and tropical fruit typical of Kilchoman with the softer buttery floral notes characteristic of the Sauternes casks.
As with all recent limited editions, a neck tag details the number of bottles (10,000), casks, ages and cask types used in the vatting; in this case, the Sauternes Cask Finish is a combination of thirty 2012 bourbon barrels married in Sauternes wine casks for five months before bottling.
Anthony Wills Kilchoman Founder and MD, “The full-term wine cask maturations that we’ve released in the past have been hugely successful, but we wanted to show a more measured approach this time around. The five month Sauternes finish has allowed a more subtle sweetness and buttery character to be imparted into the spirit while maintaining the fresh fruit, citrus and vanilla notes so typical in Kilchoman releases.”
What Gary Says
Nose: BAM! Peat smoke smacks you immediately, earthy, vegetal, a bit of sea air mist with hints of vanilla, caramel, lemon, and some sulfur in the back.
Palate: Starts off sweet than really warms and sharpens quickly; honey, subtle vanilla, orange cream candies, caramel before a peaty, peppery bite; bit of water delays the sharpening and brings the caramel and orange notes out front a bit more.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with peat smoke and pepper spice.
Comments: This was the first Kilchoman in a flight of three I received in a Flaviar tasting box. I selected the flight as I’d never spent any quality time with Kilchoman, so what better way to learn! This is definitely a peaty dram, but not in the typical Islay peaty way; I don’t get the iodine or medicinal notes. Quite a cutting, aggressive whiskey; a little unbalanced for my taste. The sauternes finish is hard to pick up.