Kilchoman Madeira Cask Matured Limited Edition - 50%

From the distillery 

The Madeira Cask Matured limited edition was distilled in May 2016 and matured for 5 years and 3 months in 46 fresh Madeira French oak hogsheads, before being bottled at 50% abv in August 2021.

Nose: caramel, orange zest and ripe plums with hints of mixed spices and
rich smoke.
Palate: bright citrus zest and peach notes with raisins, walnuts, dark chocolate and integrated smoke.
Finish: juicy fortified wine, burnt sugar, dark fruits, lingering smoke and Christmas cake.

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Old gold with a pinkish hue, forms a thick line which beads before falling as slow, thick legs.

Nose: Sweet silage farmyard notes, the smoke is rich, dirty and slightly pungent, dried fruit, caramel and cinnamon.

Palate: Rich and smoky, dried fruit, dark chocolate and baking spices. A little water opens it up further, bringing out the smoke and dried fruit notes.

Finish: Tannic astringency gradually builds but not in an unpleasant way, the rich smoke, fruit and chocolate notes linger on the palate.

Summary: This was my favourite whisky of the session despite serious competition from the 2022 Loch Gorm. Beautifully balanced, rich and complex, the dark chocolate note in combination with the smoke and fruit provides a sense of decadence. Refined and robust, this is a real cracker of a whisky.

Priced around the £80 mark this would make a great Christmas whisky, although there's no guarantee it would make it to December if I bought one now.

If you would like to know more about Kilchoman, the distillery and their whiskies, follow the link to the company website.

Transparency: This sample was part of a 5 dram sample set with Brand Representative, Antea Allegro, purchased from The Spirits Embassy. No goods or other incentives were exchanged, offered or requested for this independent review.