Funky Campbeltown blast from the Glengyle Distillery! – Blog post by Luka Gottschalk

Blogpost by Luka Gottschalk

A new release has arrived from Springbank’s neighbor, Glengyle Distillery. Due to the distillery’s closure in 1925, the “Glengyle” brand name was sold, which meant that upon reopening in 2004—after being acquired by J&A Mitchell (Springbank)—the distillery had to come up with a new name for its whisky.

Kilkerran, or Cille Chiarain, is Gaelic for Campbeltown, so it’s fair to say they hit the nail on the head with that choice.

In many parts of the world, Kilkerran whisky has jumped aboard the “hype train,” much like its neighbor Springbank. Here in Denmark, we’re fortunate that Kilkerran is still relatively easy to find. When you taste a Kilkerran, there’s no doubt about what’s in your glass. The style typically features gentle peat, a complex flavor profile, and a coastal character. The distillery often experiments with different types of casks, and this new release focuses on sherry casks—though the specific type of sherry cask hasn’t been disclosed.

This is a young expression, aged 8 years and bottled at 57.5% ABV – Kilkerran 8 Year Old Sherry Matured.
Naturally, it’s non-chillfiltered and free from added color, as is always the case when enjoying a Kilkerran.

This version of Kilkerran has, as mentioned earlier, spent its maturation period in sherry casks, which has given it a beautiful, wine-like hue.

The nose is incredibly fruity, with notes of pear, orange, raisins, oats, brown sugar, and gentle smoke. The fruit tones have a funky, overripe character—almost like fruit on the verge of turning. That might not sound appealing at first, but trust me, it’s delicious! Campbeltown whisky has a habit of delivering quirky nuances that somehow just work.

The palate also carries an umami quality, with notes of lemon sorbet, cypress, salted caramel, and a touch of soft smoke.

The finish is long, despite this being a relatively young whisky. It reminds me of the toasted wood aroma you encounter in a sauna. There’s also a flavor of “smoked vanilla” and oats. I do wonder where the oat note comes from, considering this is a Single Malt—but that’s the magic of whisky!

Kilkerran 8 Year Old Sherry Cask Matured is a brilliant alternative to Springbank. The two distilleries share many of the same flavor traits, yet they are by no means identical.

Perhaps we should simply enjoy the fact that Kilkerran is still readily available in Denmark—for now.