Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2023 Review

Kilchoman’s Loch Gorm 2023 release was made available in March 2023. This whisky is a blend from 22 Oloroso sherry casks. Eight of those casks began maturation in 2013, six began in 2014, and the final eight began in 2015. What you are left with at the end is a whisky aged exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks that contains whisky somewhere between eight to ten years old. The Kilchoman post on the 2023 release does not include details on whether these casks were first-fill or second-fill sherry casks. They have in some previous years shared this information.

For those unfamiliar with these fill terms, they indicate whether the casks used to mature these whiskies were previously filled with whisky during that previous whisky’s maturation. Distilleries very often reuse casks for whisky maturation as they still can provide strong flavor even after first fill. However, they will have lost flavor as part of the first-fill, so it’s always nice to know. Distilleries all have their own standards around how many times a cask should be reused such that the whisky still gets great flavor. You may also hear the term refill to indicate a second fill.

Named for Islay’s Loch Gorm near the Kilchoman distillery, this is an annual release from Kilchoman that first appeared in 2013. The original release was aged only 5 years in Oloroso sherry casks and only 10,000 bottles were made available. Over time, the process for developing Loch Gorm has changed, but I appreciate that the transparency about making the whisky has not.

This will be the first Loch Gorm release I have ever had, so I can’t compare with previous releases. Hopefully in the future we can compare and contrast differences between years. However, looking at 2022 and 2021, it does not seem this one has deviated drastically from how more recent releases were developed.

I have enjoyed previous Kilchoman releases with sherry casks, such as the small batch Land Rover release, and I appreciate that this one is pretty accessible and is still reasonably priced.

The Basics

Aged: Between 8-10 years

Bottles available: 18,000

Casks: Oloroso sherry

ABV: 46%

Color: Amber

Nose:  Apples, light salt, BBQ

Cost: $133 (shipping + auction fees included $50)

Purchased at: Scotch Whisky Auctions (Auction 144)

Taste

The first sip gives a light apple taste and quickly transitions into a heavy cinnamon spice and peaty finish. The taste lingers in your mouth well after you have finished, and you can still taste sweet spice and smoke as you breathe in and out.

It reminds me a bit of the Lagavulin Distillers Edition 2022. The big difference between the two is this one has less of a fruity flavor than the Lagavulin but a stronger spice and smoke finish.

Neat or With Water

Adding some water to this one definitely helps remove some of the burn from the alcohol when drinking and helps illuminate the sweeter flavors. I found three drops of water was a nice amount for a dram. With its lower ABV, drinking neat was still very nice, so definitely give a try before adding water to the mix.

Summary

Accessibility: I have not found this one in stores yet in the Chicago area, but I do see the Loch Gorm 2022 on shelves. It’s just a matter of time before you see more of this one in the United States. If you want it sooner, whisky auctions and online retailers do seem to have this one available. Just make sure they deliver to your state. Have faith though. I do think this one will be available eventually without the troubles of shipping.

Price: At $133, this seems like a pretty reasonable price for this whisky. Most online retailers have this one at about $125 before taxes and shipping. The 2022 Loch Gorm release sells for about $140 locally before taxes. Much like the Lagavulin Distillers Edition 2022, I would like this one more if it was around $100. However, I feel comfortable with the price I paid for it based on its market.

Quality: I do wish the fruity flavors stood out a bit more with this one, but I did appreciate the strong spice and smoky finish. I really appreciate that Kilchoman offers a whisky exclusively aged in sherry as part of their core range, and I think the flavor is unique when you compare it to similar whiskies.

Even though I think the price is a bit higher than I would like, I think this is a nice whisky that is worth a try. I do not think I need to get another bottle of the 2023 release, but this one has made me a Loch Gorm fan. I will be sure to keep up with future releases, and I look forward to comparing with previous years.

I think having a less dominant, apple taste helps Loch Gorm 2023 slightly differentiate itself from similar whiskies. If you like whiskies such as the Kilchoman Land Rover, Lagavulin Distillers Edition, or Laphroaig Cairdeas Pedro Ximenez casks, this is an interesting twist on those whiskies and one I think you will enjoy.

I always like whiskies like this because they make you think about whether older whiskies are worth the additional $400-$500 price tag. Presumably, those whiskies will be a bit more flavorful and smoother, but will you be much happier overall than having a dram of this or similar whiskies? For me, whiskies that offer interesting flavors and are much more affordable and accessible will probably always feel like right balance of quality and price. For now, whiskies like this to me feel like the best value, but there are still many more drams to go before I know for sure.