Tasting: Kilchoman 2011-2016 Caroni Cask Finish for LMDW

Kilchoman 2011-2016 Caroni Cask Finish for LMDW

Rum casks are a thing now in the whisky world. I’ve tried a fair number so far and have found they can be a bit hit or miss – depending on the spirit and the casks used. One distillery where this has worked pretty well in the past is Springbank – they have easy access to rum casks since their sister company Cadenhead’s also bottles a few casks of rum every year. Now, this Kilchoman was bottled back in 2016 for the 60th anniversary of La Maison Du Whisky. In case you’re not familiar with rum, Caroni is the Port Ellen (or Brora) of the Rum world – a lost distillery.
This dregs bottle was given to me by malt mate Keith and was originally entered into the 2016 Malt Maniacs Awards. I recently rediscovered it in my cellar and asked my followers on Instagram and Twitter whether they would like to read tasting notes on it. The contents still seem to be alive and kicking (though there might have been some oxidation at this point), so let’s go for it!

Kilchoman 2011-2016 Caroni Cask Finish for LMDW

Dram data:
Distillery: Kilchoman
Bottler: official bottling for LMDW
Distilled: 01.12.2011
Bottled: 05.09.2016
Age: 4 years
Limitation: 264 bottles
Cask: Caroni cask finish
Alcohol: 59,5%
uncoloured / not chill filtered
Whiskybase link

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Tasting: Westland single malt cask 397 for LMDW

Westland single malt cask 397 for LMDW

Westland single malt cask 397 for LMDWDram data:
Distillery: Westland
Bottler: Official bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: Summer 2016
Age: NAS
Limitation: 232 bottles
Casks: #397
Alcohol: 54,4%
unchillfiltered / uncoloured
Whiskybase link

It’s the 4th of July – Independence day in the US. Why not taste something different then? Like a single cask American single malt? Sounds good? Let’s go!

Tasting notes:
Colour:
 light maple syrup
The nose is quite different from your usual American whiskey – no wonder, it’s all malted barley. Quite a whiff of alcohol (with menthol) at the beginning. When it does fade a bit (it never goes away completely), the nose is met with loads of oak cask goodness – caramel, liquorice and maple syrup. A sneaky chunk of toffee has also found its way into the glass. There’s more lurking in the background behind the bold, big flavours. A whiff of cask smoke, fresh ginger and herbal cough syrup. Very oak-forward and only the freshness and alcoholic kick remain from the distillate, but every bit as enjoyable (if not more) as a high-quality bourbon of a similar, young age. With water, an additional component emerges – fresh, sweet flower petals! Interesting!   Continue reading “Tasting: Westland single malt cask 397 for LMDW”

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Tasting: Mars Shinshu Komagatake 2012 – 2016 for LMDW

Mars Shinshu Komagatake 2002 - 2016 for LMDW

Mars Shinshu Komagatake 2002 - 2016 for LMDWDram data:
Distillery: Mars Shinshu
Bottler: bottled for LMDW
Distilled: 2012
Bottled: 2016
Age: ca. 4 years
Limitation: –
Casks: American white oak puncheon 1555
Alcohol: 58,8%
unchillfiltered; uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Time for a new whisky from a new (to me) Japanese distillery. Japanese whisky is all the craze – let’s see how well this malt, which was bottled for La Maison Du Whisky’s 60th anniversary, fares!

Tasting notes:
Colour:
 dark gold
The nose doesn’t hide the fact that this is a young whisky. Alcohol up front with a hint of glue which almost immediately turns into a mixture of citrus, citrus blossom, cherry blossom and orange gummy bears. Forgive the obvious cliche, but this noses like a light whisky enjoyed in the midst of the Japanese cherry blossom season on a tranquil spring day. Give it a few minutes and notes of honey, slightly burnt vanilla pudding, brown sugar and sweet citrus cake appear. Light and young like a delicate Japanese Geisha.
Continue reading “Tasting: Mars Shinshu Komagatake 2012 – 2016 for LMDW”

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