Twenty years of distilling at Kilkerran celebrated

The headline above this article is not entirely correct of course, since Kilkerran is made at the Glengyle Distillery in Campbeltown. Some copyright issue prevents owners J. & A. Mitchell from actually using the name “Glengyle” on their bottles of single malt from the distillery. This is why they came up with “Kilkerran”, which – let’s face it – is a much better name anyway. There is enough “Glensomething” whisky in Scotland. Kilkerran is a strong name, muscled, fierce … and celebrating twenty years of production in 2024.

My first introduction to Kilkerran besides the news it was going to be a new distillery in the former whisky capital of the world, was a request by my fellow whisky enthusiast Bram van Glabbeek. He reached out to me with an opportunity. Kilkerran would release a set of whisky, matured in six types of wood, and it came with all kind of perks if you bought this set. For instance, you would receive a set of mini’s after a few years, and there would be a tasting when the “big bottles” were released. We did this during the Campbeltown Malts Festival of 2014, so when Kilkerran turned ten years old. I thought it was a good idea to split the cost indeed, we bought the set together and we never looked back. And now we move ahead another ten years.

Kilkerran 2009, 15 years old, bottled at 56,7 % abv

Makeup: Distilled in May 2009, this Kilkerran matured for 15 years in Fresh Bourbon Cask #24/131. It was bottled for Dutch importer Fourcroy on 25 June 2024 and resulted in 180 bottles. The single cask commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Glengyle Distillery.

General impressions: Can we be drinking a more Campbeltown single malt? It feels like being covered under an avalanche of limestone. Underneath it all, subtle fruit notes like white grapes, peach, subtle banana and not too fresh lemons. Hints of cooled Chardonnay on a hot Summer’s day. Absolutely adorable, balanced and precise. The spirit does most of the taking, with a modest touch of vanilla keeping it all together.

The taste is quite fierce on alcohol hotness, which makes me miss most of the fruity character. We will dilute straight away, Maybe it will then also become a little less dry on the palate. The taste does indeed change, with bitter lemon and tonic on the tongue. The hint of tropical fruit I picked up earlier has now disappeared. Luckily my sample is big enough to tinker around with. You need to experiment a little with just how much is needed. This will be a whisky I will return to a few times to fully grasp it. (On second tasting, the tropical note seemed to fare better on the finish.)

Conclusion: An interesting variation on the core range 16 year old Kilkerran, but like my (almost) teenage daughter: it has some mood swings. The nose is amazingly trademark Campbeltown and worth the price of admission alone. For the rest of the ride I do prefer the regular 16.

Score: 87 points

Kilkerran 2011, 12 years old, bottled at 56,8 % abv by Cadenhead’s

Makeup: This vintage 2011 was bottled in October 2024. We not often get them this fresh! (Thanks Erik.) Maturation took place in a bourbon barrel. Rumour has it this came from peated production.

General impressions: Not totally unlike the previous sample, which we tasted in the same session, but this Kilkerran offers some cream, milk and way more vanilla. The other fruits are all there, but more elevated. The limestone character is now buried under these layers. The official whisky is really an Autumn whisky, but this Cadenhead’s could pass for a Spring expression. The banana mousse smells makes me long for a milkshake! The banana stays around to make a first impression on the palate. The mouthfeel is softer now, feeling nice and creamy, and if there is peat involved than I do not really pick up on it.

Perhaps on the finish there is a smoky hint offering some coffee bitterness. Really an asset here. With water, it is not so much smoke that comes out, but nice earthy tones, like eating the first potatoes of the season. There is always this nice herbal creaminess remaining. With another splash of water, the whisky totally turns into vanilla ice-cream in style.

Conclusion: In a way a bit simpler than the official expression that offers more complexity, but this Cadenhead’s bottling does present a brighter, happy character that (today) I prefer. Still, it also has a redeeming influence on what I think about the celebratory bottling. For my scoring therefore, I will settle on a tie.    

Score: 87 points

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