Kilkerran 16 [2022 Edition]

The Maker

Kilkerran is produced at the Glengyle distillery in Campbeltown. It was originally founded in 1872 by William Mitchell, brother of John Mitchell who set up the Springbank distillery which now sits next door.  However, like much of Campbeltown operations were not able to survive the economic damage caused by the first world war and it was sold in 1919. A series of owners tried in vain to keep the whisky flowing into the 1920s, but production finally ceased in 1925.

After a few false starts over the remainder of the twentieth century, the year 2000 saw the first sustained signs of life returned Glengyle. This was when the Springbank family established the Mitchell’s Glengyle company with the express purpose of restoring the distillery and perhaps healing the wounds of past generations. The often repeated story is that Springbank was also keen to ensure that Campbelltown remained a separate whisky region. A status allegedly under threat by the Scotch Malt Whisky Association due to there only being two operational distilleries on the peninsula -  the other being Glen Scotia.

How much truth there is in that story depends on what you read, but either way whisky production was underway once again in 2004. One story which is undoubtedly true is that the Kilkerran name grew out of the fact that the Mitchells were unable to secure the rights to release Glengyle whisky due to the name being owned and used by Loch Lomond Distillers. Instead they adopted Kilkerran in honour of Saint Kieran, who ran a sect on the land where the town of Campbeltown stands today.

Given the ever growing reputation of Springbank, excitement about Kilkerran was never far away during the time it took for the whisky to mature. Indeed the wider question has always been whether it’s even fair to consider Kilkerran a separate distillery given that it’s effectively on the same site, and is operated by the same Springbank staff at different times of the year? I guess it’s a matter of perspective given that the stills and styles are different, but the same argument could then be made for the likes of Loch Lomond who make all kinds of things different ways on the same site.

Ultimately it doesn’t really matter if the whisky is good, and like Springbank the whisky tends to be very good indeed. Production is limited to twelve week periods where they focus on a lightly peated, twice distilled spirit; before spending an additional three weeks and single week on a heavily peated, and unpeated and triple distilled version respectively.

These combine to create a growing core range of a 12yo and 16yo at 46%. Accompanied by a series of special editions ranging from 8yo sherry and port matured releases, and a small batch heavily peated version that are all released at cask strength. To an extent these have always flown a little under the radar while the secondary market has been so obsessed with Springbank releases. Indeed much like Longrow, Kilkerran has been where the drinkers, rather than flippers, have been finding solace while we weather the storm of Springbank mania in recent years.

The Expression

At the time of release this 16yo was the oldest Kilkerran available. This was the second edition from the summer of 2022. At this point it was so sort after the only way I could get it was via a ballot from Royal Mile Whiskies. They also offered me a discount on future purchases if I agreed to have my name written on the bottle. As someone who likes to drink their whisky, rather than ‘flip’ it in search of a quick profit, I was more than happy to have my name scribbled across it.

Whether this is a disincentive to flippers is another issue. It might be, but a casual look at any auction site will confirm that people are still happy to buy releases with the names covered up by marker pens. But there’s only so much a retailer can do about such things, so I’m happy the likes of Royal Mile are trying. Even if I’ve since given up on their ballots given how popular they have gotten.

All Kilkerran 16yo are batch releases like so many of the wider Springbank family. As such their cask make up is always a bit different. This edition is 70% ex-bourbon and a 30% hit of ex-sherry. As with all editions this was released at 46%, is of natural colour, and has never seen a chill-filtration system.

The Neck Pour

The nose is rather unremarkable at first. Soft straw and beeswax notes followed by hints of something more complex that I can’t quite place yet. After a few minutes in the glass this is followed by lots of barley sugar and hefty dose of heather. This is followed by something sharper and more oily. It’s almost like vegetable stock. The nose ends with a big dose of candied lemon peel and just a hint of oaked char.

The taste is equally complex initially. It starts off with a little citrus sourness that builds into an earthy funk that while similar to peat is also very different. Not quite sure how to place it but it’s oily, but without the smoke. As time goes on the sweeter notes begin to push through, but never anything too strong. It’s more like a very mild brown sugar that is almost as much bitter as it is sweet. Finally there is a hint of smoke on the finish which bring the whole dram together.

There’s clearly a lot going on here which seems likely to develop further as the bottle oxides.

The Body

After a few months on the shelf it’s those earthy, horticultural flavours which still dominate the nose, but they are followed by something a little more industrial in terms of oils. Again with time those sweet and citrus notes take over, but all end up very rounded and pleasant.

Yet I would describe the taste as coming in reverse order. First I get the candied lemon peel, that moves towards beeswax, before ending up in a sharpness of BBQ roasted pineapple. With a good 20 minutes in the glass the classic bourbon flavours of vanilla and charred oak come through.

Yet those horticultural notes are still there on the finish. It’s marmite-like yeastie in some ways, which when combined with the sweetness can come across a little like coke syrup.

Final Thoughts

It’s a good testament to how much I’ve enjoyed this whisky that it’s taken me over two years to finish it. I’ve just been trying to make it last as long as possible. In some ways it’s a bit of a contrast. Everything in this is very subtle and well balanced. But that subtlety should never be confused with simplicity or blandness. It’s a very complex malt which rewards consideration and multiple return visits.

Yet at the same time it remains very drinkable. It has never been a challenge in the way that some malts can be when they are trying to pack in too many flavours, and end up seeming confused. This is a fine example of how well crafted a whisky can be that is allowed to still be accessible. There’s no flashy cask finishes or exotic woods here. It’s just that majority bourbon with a third of sherry make-up which allows everything to play to its strengths.

In the time since I bought this there have been several additional releases that have been equally well regarded. What’s more is that they seem to be a bit easier to get now than they were in 2022. Indeed doing a quick scan of websites at the time of writing I can see several are available on a multitude of sites around the UK. If you can, this is well worth picking up.