Kilchoman 2010 Summer

[lockejn]

I see Binny's now has the first official US release of Kilchoman in stock. Anyone know how many bottles were sent across the pond?

I'd love to pick one up, but I'm not quite ready to spend the money yet. Trying to figure out if it's likely to still be available 3-4 weeks from now.

[Yello to Mello]

In Ontario we got 300 cases that were released last Saturday. Not US bottlings though however they are retailing for $35 CAD! For that price they are going pretty fast so if you have a source or reason to be in Ont. you might be able to do a quick one. If its being released there at similar prices they might be going fast as well.

[lockejn]

In Ontario we got 300 cases that were released last Saturday. Not US bottlings though however they are retailing for $35 CAD! For that price they are going pretty fast so if you have a source or reason to be in Ont. you might be able to do a quick one. If its being released there at similar prices they might be going fast as well.

It's listed here at $65 which isn't unreasonable, but certainly not the steal you're getting in Ontario! If I could get it for that price I'd probably buy two. . .

[Leorin]

$65 is still a little cheaper than what we have to pay in europe for the Kilchoman summer release, and our bottles only contain 700ml.

[MacLlyr]

What do you guys think of the Kilchoman? It sounds interesting to me but I see it is very very young. How is the peat and smoke as compared to other Islay malts? My second son was born in the summer of 2010 and I was planning to buy a bottle for him to hold for awhile and drink with him when he comes of age. Would this be worthy of such a sit in the cellar so to speak?

[The Third Dram]

I'd have to say it represents a solid, if not a great, Islay offering... The quality of the distillate itself is spot-on (as expected), and the balance between the fruit-like sweetness and peat (some have remarked that the latter possesses a somewhat distinctive, earthy, farm-like aspect, and I'd have to agree with this assessment) is well-nigh perfect. Don't go looking for any significant underlying complexity, though. It's just not there. And why should it be present in such a young whisky, after all? In short, a very pleasurable dram more appropriate as an aperitif or an afternoon sort of pour.

As the stocks of resting Kilchoman attain greater maturity, I firmly believe we're in for some truly outstanding bottlings.

[lockejn]

I agree with TTD's assessment, and would add the following items for consideration.

I believe this is the first Kilchoman release to be matured exclusively in bourbon barrels. That makes for something a bit different from the other bottlings - not sure how that landscape will look 18-21 years from now, though.

As suggested, it's quite a good dram, but not a mind-blower. 18-21 years from now, though, it'll be an extremely rare bottle, and almost certainly a collectors item. How often do you get to peek back in time like that? What did Lagavulin's earliest whisky taste like? Talisker? I think that makes it pretty special regardless of how good it really is. Might be fun to compare it with a contemporary bottle or two when the time comes.