Kilkerran 12 Review

Hi everyone,

I know some people are probably itching to get their hands on this before it sells out (pretty much already gone in the UK for the moment). After a few drams I thought I'd post up what I think.

So, this is from Glengyle distillery, peated to around 10-15ppm, 30% Sherry casks, 70% Bourbon barrels.

They can't call it Glengyle because the name is copyrighted, but it is Springbank's other Campbeltown distillery they restarted around 2004. Of course, because Springbank are involved everything is old school and traditional.

If you want to learn more about how they make it you can watch their video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB1JJUqrU-8

Kilkerran 12 46%

Colour: Gold

Body: Medium

Nose: Old school, light fruit, red apple, orange oil, old paper, slightly waxy, some heathery outdoorsy smoke, spicy too with cumin and cracked black pepper.

Water: Sea salt, black pepper, soot, red apple. Then zingy lemon.

Taste: Softly fruity, becoming more intense with spice and ash, black pepper, coriander, some orange, honey, very oily and old school, again something waxy.

Water: Sweeter, pink lady apples, something herbal and floral, old books, burnt paper.

Finish: Long. Slightly mouth watering, soot, spice, fruit and some oak.

Notes: Some great aspects of Springbank, Talisker, Clynelish and Highland Park in here.

76/100

Actually if someone gave this to me blind I would have to guess Talisker, there's a great spicy thing that I normally only find in Talisker.

If someone told me it was Springbank before giving me some I wouldn't bat an eyelid.

Now I love Talisker and this reaches the same heights as the best batches of the 10yo but there's something missing here keeping it from true greatness.

It is also very different from the previous Work in Progress bottlings.

Having said that, this was at a fantastic price and a definite buy. I'll be greatly anticipating future releases.

Review #182

Network Average: 74.4

Best Score: 91

Worst Score: 44

0-49 Terrible

50-59 Bad

60-64 Just About OK

65-69 Ok to Good

70-74 Good

75-79 Very Good

80-84 Excellent

85-89 Superb

90+ Magnificent