Review #340 - Kilchoman Loch Gorm (2020)
The 2020 release of Kilchoman's annual 'Loch Gorm' single malt, which is made using heavily peated spirit and sherry casks. It isn't a finish in sherry casks, though - this is full maturation, so the wine influence should be strong. All of the casks in this release were ex-Oloroso butts, and the distillation vintages are 2007, 2009, 2009, and 2011; that means that the spirit in the bottle probably ranges from 8 to 13 years old.
Kilchoman gives us quality presentation, as usual: no chill filtering, no added coloring, and the strength is 46% ABV.
Kilchoman Loch Gorm (2020)
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 105 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-Oloroso sherry butts
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; 15,500 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 7 months; bottles at 70% and 40% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: We're greeted with oily, heavily smoked sausage and Cajun spices, along with decent smokiness. There's a strong coastal side to this - sea salt, seaweed, dry beach grasses, and an inky character; soon, red fruits open up, giving us cherry jam, sweet raspberry, and overripe strawberry. Lots of barbecue notes, including crispy bacon, and there's an earthy scent, too.
Palate: The mouthfeel has a thickness that's medium or so, and it's very smoky now, more than the nose. Lots of salt and brine, but also a lot of spice: peppery barbecue, or a peppery steak, and hot peppers. Subtle fruits from red jams are in the background.
Finish: Medium length, nicely rounded, with a mix of flavors: savory peppery barbecue lingers, medium peat smoke, and there's more sweetness in the sherry influence. We get hints of spice in the aftertaste, too - nutmeg and clove.
Final Note: Very tasty whisky, this is a good example of the richness that the combination of peated spirit and sherry maturation can deliver. Lots of savory barbecue notes, which were a treat, and the red fruits especially popped on the nose. The mouthfeel and density of flavors was solid at this strength, but we would absolutely love to try a cask strength Loch Gorm.
Value is alright here - Loch Gorm isn't a cheap bottle, but its price has been maintained for several years, at least in our area, so new versions can be found at the same price as this 2020 bottling.
Our Average Rating: 7.2 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.00
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
