LOCH GORM 2023 RELEASED

 KILCHOMAN LIMITED EDITION LOCH GORM FOR 2023

Kilchoman has done a fantastic job of championing the merits of young whisky. Their first single malt was released in 2009 as a three-year-old. With that success, they looked to the past and revitalised the once-common practice of farm-scale distilling.  Just like 200 years ago, they grew, malted and peated their own barley. All distilling, maturation, and bottling are all done within the farm distillery limits. The intended experience is to transport the imbiber to the midst of their barley fields as they sip.

Their success in the expanding market across the globe forced them to increase volumes while retaining quality. These days 25% of its barley requirements come from Islay (mostly from fields around the distillery). It has two small malting floors and kilns which produce a medium-peated malt – the heavily peated with which it is mixed comes from Port Ellen. Inside the distillery, fermentation is long, helping to create fruitiness to balance the shoreline/shellfish-like phenolics. At the same time, an enlightened (and pricey) wood policy has seen a high percentage of first-fill ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks being used. The result was that Kilchoman hit the start of its mature period at a remarkably young age.   

Loch Gorm is the name given to Kilchoman’s annual sherry matured limited edition.  Named after Islay’s largest freshwater lake neighbouring the distillery, the dark, peat-coloured murky colour of the loch’s water is reflected in the rich coppery tones of the sherry-matured Loch Gorm release. Loch Gorm is also Islay’s biggest freshwater loch with an abundance of wildlife. The Allt Gleann Osamail burn, from which Kilchoman collects their production water, is one of the loch’s major tributaries.

LOCH GORM 2023

Loch Gorm is exclusively matured in oloroso sherry casks from the renowned bodega, Jose Miguel Martin. It is common for distilleries to use a variety of sherry producers but for Kilchoman’s consistent quality and character, it is vital that they source them all from just one bodega. They select a combination of sherry butts and hogsheads from Jose Miguel Martin that provides two separate styles of maturation.

For the 2023 Edition, Kilchoman founder Anthony Willis and production manager Robin Bignal selected a total of 22 casks, 8 distilled in 2013, 6 distilled in 2014, and 8 distilled in 2015. Each cask was chosen for its unique flavour profile which, when combined together with the other 21 casks, creates a beautiful balance of rich fruity character with layers of classic Kilchoman, peat smoke and citrus sweetness.

Rather than dominating, Loch Gorm’s oloroso maturation works in harmony with the natural character of Kilchoman. The 2023 release has a fantastic spectrum of flavour, from rich spices and macerated peaches to fresh citrus, ginger, orange zest and waves of salty peat smoke. Bottled at 46% ABV, the Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2023 limited edition made its debut this March and was almost fully sold out that day.

DISTILLERY	KILCHOMAN
Series	Loch Gorm 2023 Edition
Year Bottled	2023
Alcohol ABV	46 %
Cask Strength	No
Cask Wood Type	Oloroso Sherry
Single Cask	No
Packaging	Original Box
Bottler	Distillery
Country of Origin	Scotland
Stopper	Cork
Bottle Type	Standard
Bottle Size	70cl
Neck Level	Full Level
PPM	50

TASTING NOTES:

Nose: Hints of cacao with an essence of leather, black cherry and light smoke.

Palate: Roasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate and roasted dark fruits give way to light ashy peat smoke.

Finish: Balanced and long with fresh Islay sea breeze.

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