Kilkerran – Heavily Peated Batch #9 (70cl, 59.2%)

Kilkerran – Heavily Peated Batch #9 is a whisky from Kilkerran (Campbeltown). Bottled at 59.2% ABV, 70cl. For a period, Campbeltown was the undisputed Whisky Capital of the World, boasting over 30 distilleries operating simultaneously at its peak. Locally available peat, barley and coal, coupled with a quick steamship service to Glasgow meant this thriving industry lasted into the early 20th Century. Alas; ultimately (and perhaps inevitably) it proved unsustainable, and by 1935 the bubble had well and truly burst, with only Springbank and Glen Scotia distilleries remaining. This remained the case until 2004 when the long dormant Glengyle distillery finally reopened its doors; its acquisition by Springbank and Cadenhead’s parent company (J&A Mitchell) marking Campbeltown’s establishment as a fully fledged whisky region in the eyes of the Scotch Whisky Association. The whisky distilled there is bottled under the name Kilkerran (the Gaelic name for Campbeltown) in order to differentiate it from the Glengyle vatted malt produced by Loch Lomond distillery, and since 2009 there have been a series of “work in progress” releases, culminating in the release of a 12 Year Old expression in 2016.