Killowen Bonded International Series - Belgrove Oat & Rye
Picture taken from the Killowen Distillery web shop |
Nose: Massively creamy on the nose - clotted cream on a jammy scone. Vanilla, unripe bananas and a hint of a full ashtray. Cinnamon and raisin laced porridge with orange and lime zest. Peanut brittle. Eventually there is a fresh dough character too.
Palate: Really oily and mouthcoating on arrival. Lots of jammy red fruit upfront - raspberry and strawberry preserve on top of a crème brulee. Caramel and dark chocolate. Then a spike of spice - ginger, mild chilli peppers and aniseed give way to dusty ash and tart citrus peel. Now we wheel around to fresh coffee grounds.
Finish: Medium length with a dry smokiness, citrus and fruit preserves.
Score: 8 out of 10
Killowen Belgrove Rye 60.1% abv
Nose: Crème Anglaise moves very quickly into herbal territory. Sweet vanilla, unripe mango, aloe vera, eucalyptus, lime and smoked lemons. Lovage and fresh coriander. Notes reminiscent of mezcal too. Rubbed brass, fresh ginger and a fresh rye loaf.
Palate: Unsurprisingly this is a bit of a spice bomb. Plenty of sweetness upfront with vanilla, ginger ale and spun sugar before crackling pepper, fresh ginger and some wasabi heat assault your palate. Pine resin and smoky mezcal come to the fore. Then we get German rye bread and those smoked lemons from the nose.
Finish: Again medium length with a dry ashiness mixed in with a smidge of raspberry jam, warming spice and lemon peel.
Score: 8 out of 10
Killowen Belgrove Oat Rum and Raisin 59.42% abv
Nose: Burnt sugar and vanilla cream. Pine sap and fresh sage leaves with bonfire ash. Jammy fruit notes too - damson, raisins and blackberries. Clove and cinnamon dusted all butter pastry. Orange zest too. Funky stuff!
Palate: Really oily mouthfeel again - super sweet on arrival. Caramel, sticky dates and California raisins. Vanilla custard filled donuts. There's a copper note as well as some flint. Cracked walnuts, rye spice and clove, ginger and tobacco ash. Some cocoa powder in the mix too.
Finish: Medium length with sweet espresso, dark fruit and mixed peel
Score: 7 out of 10
Overall: Well I have to admit I loved all these. But I will also admit that they will not be everyone's cup of tea. I sent a sample of the Oat Rum & Raisin to my good friend Whisky Rover and he found it a bit 'rough'.
The Oat really is a complex beast. Creamy, sweet, savoury and industrially dirty it has so much going on for a 'young' whisky. Much like Killowen's own whiskey it just shows how much character a well crafted and considered young whisky can have.
The Rye was a herbal spice bomb on steroids. If you don't like Rye whiskies in general I don't think this is the whisky you are looking for. For those of us who love a good Rye then you own it too yourself to try this.
Finally the Rum & Raisin finished Oat was still a lovely drop but I think lost a little of the potency and clarity of the unfinished Oat expression. But if you have a sweeter tooth then I think you'll enjoy this.
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