Kilchoman Machir Bay 2012

Machir Bay is all but three years old. It is a mix of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks (about 30%). The first time I tried this was at a Kilchoman tasting in Ghent. I recently received a sample from my whisky buddy Pat and I am happy to try it again in earnest.

Soft nose on lime, mild ashes, hay and freshly cut grass. Underneath a nice layer of tropical fruit. Pineapple appears in my mind’s eye. Turns quite floral after a while, but far from disturbing. The peat is fairly discreet.

On the palate, it is a lot sweeter. The tropical fruit comes first (pineapple again, but also peach and apricot), then a good helping of spices (ginger, black pepper, aniseed). The peat is much more powerful, giving him a nice smoky character. The ashes are discernable too. A drop of fish oil gives it a salty edge. Nice!

The finish is surprisingly long without a trace of oak. Sweet and smoky.

This Machir Bay is a typical Islay with a nice tropical edge, thanks to the sherry cask. Thanks, Pat!

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