hs305 scored this whisky 86 points 
[March, 2021] After many very old, complex and (of course) excellent drams over the course of the last days I am in the mood for a rather simple and young drink tonight and so I selected this sample...
...which actually is one of the better underaged drams I had over the last years. The Fino sherry maturation improves the young malt's profile nicely with more complex aromas but it never dominates as does not the wood. This is an unspectacular dram which is easy sippable when I am not in the mood of detailed flavour explorations - just like tonight.
...which actually is one of the better underaged drams I had over the last years. The Fino sherry maturation improves the young malt's profile nicely with more complex aromas but it never dominates as does not the wood. This is an unspectacular dram which is easy sippable when I am not in the mood of detailed flavour explorations - just like tonight.
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The colour is yellow gold and the nose offers a young Islay profile with still immature malt aromas but all in all this is not that bad. The Fino sherry adds some fine older aromas to the young malt and the maritime peaty impressions fit all well together in this mix. The wood is firm but not dominant and there is no off-note or distracting imbalance. Of course, there is nothing special about this nose (how should in a premature dram?) but it serves its destiny: to be an okay-ish nosing impression when sipping this dram.
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The taste is simple but works perfectly in this balanced combo of (young) malt, (old) sherry, (very old) peat and (whatsoever old) wood. None of these flavours tries to dominate but they support each other nicely. Nothing spectacular about this dram, this is just like whisky should be - easy drinkable without getting bored about it. And this taste confirms that "paedophilic" drams work in such a mix only (according to my personal taste preferences, and it is absolutely fine if you see this differently).
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The dram arrives warming and coating on the palate with a good mouthfeel (like always with Kilchoman, obviously they do not rush their distillation like many of the big companies do during these whisky boom times). The finish is accordingly medium to long and adds more of the nice maritime salty impressions which I like. No bitter or drying moments throughout the finish, this indeed is easy quaffable. Water releases more winey aromas in the nose but it flattens the taste quickly, so I prefer the neat dram.
