Kilkerran 12 Review

Kilkerran 12 is the Springbank cousin that nobody talks about enough. This Kilkerran 12 review is about a citrusy, oily, slightly smoky Campbeltown malt that costs about £60 and scores 73 out of 100.

It is a lovely whisky with a confusing name, and it comes from one of the more interesting stories in modern Scotch.

What is Kilkerran 12?

Kilkerran is made at Glengyle in Campbeltown, the third working distillery in town, owned by J&A Mitchell, the family firm behind Springbank. Glengyle reopened in 2004 after closing in the 1920s. The Kilkerran name exists because another company already used the Glengyle name for a blended malt, so the single malt took Kilkerran, an old name for the Campbeltown area.

The 12 is bottled at 46%, matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, and is lightly peated. It is very close in style to Springbank, with a bit more citrus and less funk. Batch and release year matter, and some recent batches are smokier than earlier ones.

Kilkerran 12 tasting notes

The nose is citrus-led and fruity: orange peel, with vanilla, butterscotch and honeycomb emerging, then charcoal and hints of brine, or farmland, ginger and a plaster note. A subtle peat smoke appears alongside leather, warming spice and sweet toffee as it opens, and water brings out sherry-inspired dried fruit.

The palate is oily and rich, with a creamy texture and a more substantial mouthfeel than its pale appearance suggests. Citrus is the constant, zesty with a lemon cheesecake note, and peat smoke and spice develop over time.

The finish is mixed. It runs medium-long, with campfire smoke more pronounced than on the nose and palate, then a reprise of citrus and malt before an earthy, slightly muddy peat note arrives. It can be quite tannic. It is a whisky with several moods, and the finish is where it shows them. The 12 is a good entry point to the Kilkerran range.

How to drink Kilkerran 12

Neat, in a tulip glass, with a few drops of water. The citrus and smoke open up nicely with a little dilution. I would not use ice.

It pairs well with smoked salmon, mature cheese and orange-based desserts. In a cocktail, a Penicillin with a Kilkerran float is a smart choice, though it is a bit extravagant.

Glengyle and the town’s revival

Kilkerran is made at Glengyle, a small distillery in Campbeltown that closed in 1925 and was reopened in 2004 by J&A Mitchell, the family that owns Springbank. It was the first new distillery in the town in over 120 years, and it was built with the aim of reviving Campbeltown’s whisky tradition. The distillery is tiny, producing only a few hundred thousand litres a year.

The Glengyle name could not be used for the single malt because a blended malt of the same name already existed, so the whisky is sold as Kilkerran. The 12 was first released in 2016, after the distillery had built up enough stock. It has been well received, and it is now a regular feature of the Campbeltown scene.

Lighter than Springbank

Kilkerran is made in a similar way to Springbank, with floor-malted barley, but the process is simpler. The spirit is distilled twice rather than two and a half times, and the character is lighter, with more citrus and less funk. It has the Campbeltown oiliness and brininess, but it is more delicate than its older cousin.

That makes it an interesting comparison. Taste Springbank 10 and Kilkerran 12 side by side, and you will see how different two distilleries on the same family estate can be. Kilkerran is a gentler introduction to Campbeltown.

Batch differences

The 12 comes in annual batches, and there are differences between them. Some are smokier, some are fruitier, and the sherry influence varies. Later batches have been more variable than the original 2016 release. If you find a batch you love, buy a second bottle. If you find one that disappoints, try another year.

Is Kilkerran 12 worth the money?

At about £60 for 70 cl it is fairly pricey. Some sources suggest the price has been in the low £50s, so shop around. At about £57, Springbank 10 scores 71. Glen Scotia Double Cask sits at about £36 with a score of 78. At about £45, Ardbeg 10 scores 72.

Kilkerran 12 scores two points higher than Springbank 10 at a similar price, which makes it a better buy. Compared with Glen Scotia, you pay a lot more for five fewer points. Batches of the 12 sell out and return at slightly different prices, so a quick comparison before you commit is worthwhile.

Alternatives to Kilkerran 12

There is always another bottle. These are the ones I would put next to Kilkerran 12, because each trades off price, style or strength in a way that matters.

Who should buy Kilkerran 12?

Campbeltown fans, malt lovers who like citrus and smoke together, and anyone who found Springbank 10 too expensive or too hyped. It is also a good bottle for a tasting group. If you are new to whisky, start somewhere easier.

Kilkerran 12 review verdict

A citrusy, oily, lightly smoky Campbeltown malt that is a notch ahead of Springbank 10 on score, and priced fairly high. Caskable score: 73 out of 100.