Kilkerran 12

Bottle: Classic whisky bottle. The labeling is clean and unpretentious. A bit of history on the back to reintroduce this Campbelltown distillery that was only reopened in 2004 after a very long hiatus.

Nose: Smoked kippers at a distance, wet earth, liquorice all sorts, orange juice.Eminently breathable this is. I’m in no rush to drink it but needs must…

Body: Medium with a touch of wax.

Palate: Almost coconut milk on the initial blast, then rock salt with blended citrus and light smoke showing up at the end.

Finish: Good length with smokey oranges, lemon meringue and haribo sours. Those kippers are still there in the distance I swear.

Neat/Ice/Water: Neat. A little heat at 46%.

Verdict: Superior. This is a very savory dram with an accessible yet complex collection of rewarding characteristics. It’s oily with contrasting saltiness, sweetness and smoke. Tastes a little older than a 12 and reminds me of some good Caol Ila’s which is no bad thing at all. At £35 it must just about be the best value bottle around right now. Ridiculously good value for money it has to be said. The big launch was a couple of months back as this is the first core range release after many WIPs and the level of anticipation was quite high. I grabbed 2 bottles on faith and have been well rewarded. Still available in a few places but at this price…