Review: Kilkerran 16 (2020) – The Chase

Review: Kilkerran 16 (05.10.2020)

46% ABV

Purchased: 2020

Price: $140 + tax

Aged: 96% Bourbon / 4% Marsala

Score: 7. Very Good. Skip to the Review

The Chase

I learned quickly in my whisky journey that I will not always be able to buy the bottles that I want. At the very least, I will not be able to buy the bottles that I want at the price I am supposed to be paying for them (according to the producers). Although I started my journey with bourbon and scotch in mind, the bourbon craze in the U.S. got me feeling all kinds of FOMO and I started hunting for those rare bottles pretty quickly and scotch fell to a distant second in my mind. I had no idea why I needed to find those bottles, as there were so many that I had yet to taste readily available on the shelves for reasonable prices. All I knew was that I really needed to try and find these so-called unicorns and post pictures to my local Facebook group.

I remember finding some bottles that I paid over MSRP for and subsequently feeling a little buyer’s remorse knowing that I had given into impulse and some unexplained desire. I had no idea what I was buying, never having tasted any of it. Looking back, I would happily pay those prices for those bottles now as the prices have continued to soar on the secondary markets to a point of laughability. Still, the absurdity of my FOMO and the obsession that had gripped me is not lost on me in the least bit. 

Realistically, this whole idea of ‘chasing bottles’ is kind of absurd if you really take a step back and look at it from an objective standpoint. It seems to me that the emotions we feel from NOT being able to buy something that is made from simple and natural ingredients at a ‘fair’ price can be on par with being betrayed by a best friend. The amount of vitriol spewed at collectors, hoarders, secondary markets and social media influencers can be fairly shocking. Whisky is not the only hobby where one person’s boon is another’s bane, however it’s not simple envy that is at play here. It is actual spite. There’s more to explore here, which I will save for another day, but the point is that in an age with so many choices, we seem stuck on what we can’t have way too much of the time. I should say that there have been times when I managed to find a bottle of something hard to find and it was not elation or excitement that I felt. Rather, it was a relief that the bad feelings could subside…at least until the next release.

Funnily enough these feelings are what led me to discover my adoration of scotch whisky. I saw a post on a bourbon Facebook group that a store a few minutes down the road from me had gotten some Stagg Jr. bourbon in stock. Being that I worked from home and my calendar was clear of meetings, I jumped in my car and drove the 10 or so minutes down the road, taking time to curse every red light along the way. I got to the store only to be told the last bottle had just been sold. Dejected, I got back into the car to head home and that’s when it hit me. This is stupid. Why am I spending more time feeling bad about my hobby than I am being excited? The constant disappointment of not being at the right place at the right time, or not having spent enough money at one particular store really started to bother me. Before I had even gotten home, I had decided that I was done chasing bourbon and I was going to drink more scotch. I would buy bourbon if I found something I wanted but I was not going to beg and I was no longer going to feel bad about my hobby. The rest is history as they say and although my love of bourbon still exists today, I do not feel bad about missing out. Not to mention, once I stopped looking for it I actually had better success finding some of the rarer bottles. At any rate, the scotch community focuses on the broader landscape of what sits on the shelf and not just the ultra rare bottles that garner likes on social media. There is complaining to be sure, particularly around Springbank, and although I sympathize with my brothers and sisters in the U.K. and E.U., there are times I chuckle as the bourbon scene is much worse. Everything is allocated. All it takes is one positive review from a large channel and it will be a year before you ever see your favorite daily drinker on the shelf. Bottles do not just sell for 30% to 100% more than RRP but can be 5 to 10 times the retail price. Pappy Van Winkle is supposed to be $125 to $150 and sells for $2000 to $3000. It truly is stupid. 

Kilkerran mania has not quite reached the lather that Springbank has, but it is close. I adore their 8 year old expressions and I even bought the latest releases from the auctions. I overpaid, yes. However, by the time they would have gotten to shelves in the States and the distributors and knowledgeable store owners took their cut, it really would not have been much more anyways. Plus, I didn’t have to sweat, hunt, or beg. No back alley deals on Facebook or driving all over town hoping to find what I want only to be disappointed. When the bottles arrived in the mail, I was content. The bottles will be open and drunk and shared. A slightly less difficult to find bottle is their 16 year old expression which I have jotted some amatuer notes about below. Just remember, if your hobby makes you feel negative feelings then it may be time to reevaluate.

Review

Nose: Primarily, I get fresh sawdust and candied pears. There is a sweet maltiness as well. This is accented by some Campbeltown funk in the form of dirty fresh mushrooms alongside some mild nuttiness and a slight coastal quality. Overall, the nose is more on the elegant side of the Campbeltown scale, if it has one. I enjoy it, but there is a part of me that wants it to be more Springbank, which is unfair. Water brings some damp hay to the forefront and tampers the sweet elements.

Palate: Caramel and vanilla upfront and the peat shows itself the longer you chew. The development blossoms into more Campbeltown style peat and mushrooms which contribute to a rich but dirty nougat flavor. The mild nuttiness from the nose is here as well. Water smoothes out the experience a bit, with a little less sweetness upfront, but the pears are able to come through. The peat on the development is more rounded. The whole experience has more of a silky mouthfeel to boot. 

Finish: White pepper, toasted oak, and a barley sugar sweetness. Gentle peat lingers. Medium in length. Water adds a touch of a chalky texture, although I do not find it unpleasant. The finish is less peppery than when neat and the sweet barely is more evident. Overall, I would say it is more elegant, which given it is a Campbeltown, may be a detriment depending on what you are looking for.

Overall: The main criticism I have heard in regards to the Kilkerran 16 releases is that they do not match the 12 year expression in value and therefore are not worth a purchase. On one hand I can sympathize with that viewpoint, however, on the other I really do enjoy this whisky. I agree that it does not do enough to separate itself from a purely value proposition, but that does not mean it is the same whisky. Standing on its own I feel like this is a 7/10. I will do a review of the 12 year at some point and I feel like there is a good chance it will also receive a 7 or a strong 6. This makes the 2x price in the US a challenge for those shopping with budget in mind. It is a Campbeltown though and there is a premium especially with age for whiskies coming out of J&A Mitchell distilleries. Similar arguments are made with Springbank and their 10 and 15 year expressions. At the end of the day they are different experiences and if you are exploring $150+ 15-16 year old expressions, then you are looking for nuance and maybe some bragging rights to begin with. Additionally, due to the higher price points, they may be more likely to be available in your area. I am not disappointed with this purchase and picked up a 2021 version for drinking at a later date, at a higher price than I paid for this bottling as well. I am not going to punish this expression for its younger sibling’s excellence so I am going to stick with a 7. Score: 7/10. Very Good.

Whisky Scoring Guide