Kilchoman, Autumn 2009 release

This (rather young) Islay distillery’s second release. Like the first, it’s aged for about three years and then finished in sherry casks—this time for a shorter two and a half months. Its flavor is similar to the first release.

Once again, I am quite impressed. It’s very mature for its age, with good viscosity, showing smoldering peat, coal tar, black licorice stick, burnt dark berried fruit, thick-cut marmalade, shoo-fly pie (think molasses), toffee apple, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and a suggestion of wet sheep. Long, peat smoke finish.£47