A PEATED MULLED WINE – Score: 7/10
In the early stirrings of 2024, Kilchoman unveiled its Batch Strength — a whisky whose release, though keenly anticipated, was somewhat clouded by a muddled marketing approach. Barely had the first bottles found their way to enthusiasts when a nearly identical “Tour of Europe” edition appeared, distinguished only by a change of label, leaving a trace of bemusement among aficionados.
Intended to take its place alongside Machir Bay, Sanaig, and Loch Gorm, Batch Strength weaves together the influences of sherry, bourbon, and wine casks, its robust character harnessed at a tempered 57%. On the tongue, it unfurls with a quiet authority, bearing the unmistakable imprint of Kilchoman’s rugged Islay soul.
The first impression offers vinous whispers and the dark caress of liquorice, soon overtaken by the insistent rise of ashen peat — a smokiness that asserts itself without brashness. Somewhere in the shadows, caramel flickers briefly, a soft sweetness unable to wrest dominance from the elemental smoke.
In every measure, Batch Strength is a Kilchoman true to form: crafted with care, steadfast in identity, and resonant with the wild, untamed beauty of its island home.
