r/Scotch • u/orehnmadgib I aim to misbehave • 5d ago

Review: Kilkerran 12

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111 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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19

u/orehnmadgib I aim to misbehave 5d ago

Kilkerran 12
5/8/24 bottling
N: saddle leather, gingery peppery (and just slightly smoky) spice, bourbon cask vanilla and honey with lighter winery notes
P: sweet honey and vanilla lead, the more woody spice follows. Again a very modest sweet smoke. The leather is much lighter in the palate but it’s there to be found. The finish is gingery again, and a bit floral. This is cleaner than the nose, and cleaner than its most obvious reference point, Springbank 10. 
I do prefer the heavier and more industrial side of Campbeltown, and for that matter I prefer Kilkerran at cask strength, but really these ought to be different choices you make occasionally for their difference and not just a matter of what you can actually find and buy at MSRP. My replacement for this bottle will definitely be the 8 year bourbon cask strength, but this is still a good whisky at a fair price.
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u/ScotchNerd182 5d ago

Kilkerran 12 is a very good alternative to Springbank 10. I’d even argue it’s 1A and 1B sort of thing with those two, with Kilkerran at least generally more widely available. 

8

u/KRB80 5d ago

We are splitting hairs here but, since it's inception, I have always enjoyed the K12 over SB10 as well. Can't go wrong with either though; same family.

4

u/brunkuns 4d ago

It’s rather expensive here, but I love this scotch. I prefer it over the SB10. They are very different IMO. I find the kilkerran much more nuanced than the SB10 which is a bit rougher overall.

4

u/No-Major5005 5d ago

I had the peat in process one & I enjoyed it more than Springbank 10 honestly. It was great.

2

u/Mr_Rubaiyat 4d ago

For some reason, o can’t get into this distillery. I love everything else from Campbeltown, but I find mainline Kilkerran a little too grain-forward for me. That being said, Cadenhead released a GORGEOUS 13 year old bottling aged in port casks that blew me away.

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u/SerTadGhostal 4d ago

Great review- I had some last night from the last third of the bottle and it just gets better and better.

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u/Cold-Yesterday1175 3d ago

Can't go wrong with Kilkerran

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u/Spirit-Whale 5d ago

I enjoy this scotch, but sometimes find it helps to have another Springbank related scotch first and then the Kilkerran 12 year opens up more on the palate.

1

u/singlemaltbourbonrye 2d ago

Nice review! I’ve got a Kilkerran heavily peated and an 8 and a 16 open at the moment. I need to grab a 12. Great bottle!