Review #557 - Kilchoman 16 Year

Written By Me, My Wife & Whisky

Kilchoman Mini-Series: Part 1 of 6

Kilchoman is celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2025, and because of the duration of their operations, they now have some older stocks (likely a very limited amount) of whisky in their warehouses. In 2023, after 18 years of operation, they released their oldest age-stated whisky yet: a limited edition 16 Year Old, a run of 5,000 bottles.

The whisky used in this 16 year batch wasn't originally set aside for longer-term maturation; instead, over the years, these casks lingered in the warehouses, not suitable for use in other products. Anthony Wills and his team selected 21 total casks to be included in this batch, which was comprised of 20 ex-bourbon casks and a single Oloroso sherry cask.

The barley used in this whisky was peated to Kilchoman's typical 50 parts per million of phenol content that they specify on barley not grown on their own farm; bottling strength sits at a solid 50% ABV. We know that Kilchoman always uses natural bottling presentation, so there's no added coloring or chill filtration involved in the process.

Kilchoman 16 Year

Scotland/Islay - Single Malt

Price: USD 299 (2025)

Age Statement: 16 Years

Strength: 50% ABV

Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2023; 5,000 bottles

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 50% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: A bit biscuity and malty up front, but stronger oak soon takes center stage; peat smoke has medium strength, and we get some lighter notes behind it: floral scents, perfume. Orange blossom and cedar wood develop, and with more time, it grows more inky and medicinal; there's just a hint of sweetness from molasses.

Palate: Rich and nicely balanced; contributions from polished oak, perfume, some dark sugars, and a bit of a mineral side: slate. The mouthfeel has a medium thickness... later, we get more wood char, and the peat is moderate.

Finish: A little hint of malt sticks out, then more polished oak. The moderate peat influence gets softer into the finish, and we get a sweeter Sprite soda note, as well as some wood smoke. It's a medium or so length finish.

Final Note: Probably the most refined Kilchoman that we've tasted - very good single malt, with a few different flavor facets to keep it interesting. The peat still has some strength after those 16 years, though Kilchoman never struck us as a peat monster despite the '50 ppm' rating on the barley; the oak does have a stronger influence, adding those sweet polish notes, too. We like that this is mostly ex-bourbon casks, which allows us to see how the distillate will develop with extended maturation; a stronger finish or sherry influence might have covered that up.

Onto the price and value - this is where the story changes a bit. Kilchoman has typically been known over the last decade for their very reasonable pricing scheme, especially in the context of a new distillery; this 16 Year Old whisky marked a departure from that. Original prices in the UK sat around £200, and now in the US, the pricing in our local area is close to $300; it's hardly a bargain. The whisky is good, but value is well below average.

Our Average Rating: 8.5 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 5.09

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Me, My Wife & Whisky
Previous

Review #558 - Kilchoman 100% Islay 12th Edition (2022)
Next

Review #556 - Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch