Official tasting notes
Nose: Immediately very close to smoked barley, with citron peel, bread dough, iodine tincture, oysters and even a massage balm-like character. The peat note is assertive and coastal, comparable in style to Lagavulin 12. Adding water barely changes it; some soaked plaster touches appear.
Palate: Warm and straightforward, packed with barley, grist and husks, intensely smoked over beechwood and salted with Himalayan salt.
Finish: Long, tense and somewhat fermentary, with lingering smoky presence. The youthful aspect shows, but the overall character remains compelling.
Kilkerran 2025 Release Heavily Peated Batch 12 Cask Strength 700ml 58.4%
$159.00
Small batch whisky from Glengyle Distillery.
Details
700ml: 58.4% alc
Region: Campbeltown
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon, Ex Sherry
Batch No: 12
Bottler: Glengyle distillery
Release Date: 2025
Description
This bottling forms part of Kilkerran’s twice-annual, limited edition series, showcasing a heavily peated expression that differs significantly from the distillery’s signature lightly peated core range. Designed specifically for peat enthusiasts seeking bold, coastal smoke characteristics delivered at cask strength, this whisky reaches approximately 45PPM on the phenol scale. The maturation process varies between batches, though bourbon cask maturation typically predominates throughout the aging period.
Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch #12 has been carefully matured in a marriage comprising 90% ex-bourbon casks and 10% ex-sherry casks. This single malt remains non-chill-filtered and contains no added colouring, preserving its natural character and authentic presentation. Despite these releases being relatively young whiskies compared to age-statement expressions, they effectively showcase Glengyle Distillery’s distinctive house style and production philosophy.
Understanding the Kilkerran Name
The ‘Kilkerran’ name was chosen for two important reasons. Firstly, the name ‘Glengyle’ was already trademarked for an existing blended Highland malt, preventing Mitchell’s Glengyle Ltd from securing those naming rights.
More significantly, Glengyle Ltd takes immense pride in continuing Campbeltown’s celebrated distilling heritage, with the chosen name reflecting this deep regional connection. ‘Kilkerran’ derives from the Gaelic phrase ‘Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain’, referencing the original settlement established by Saint Kerran, whose religious cell occupied the site where Campbeltown stands today.
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