Is Machir Bay All Grown Up? - Kilchoman 16 Review

Today I try the newly (ish) released Kilchoman 16, a first for the distillery and the highest age statement from them. Kilchoman 16 is matured in 90% bourbon and 10% sherry casks.
The high ratio of bourbon casks are similar to the cask makeup of their entry level core range Machir Bay. Following this similarity, and remembering the big age difference, I will be comparing the Kilchoman 16 to the Machir Bay, to see if the steep price increase is justified.
Hope you enjoy, cheers!
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[@WhiskyWars]

£200 is craziness. Sipping my laphroaig 16 for £85 with happiness 😂 although that is now discontinued 😢 so won’t be able to rebuy!

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@WhiskyWars Hahahah shots fired, and rightfully so! I'd pick the Laphroaig 16 over this any day, regardless of the price!

[@Adam-r6h5c]

Nice review! I'm a fan of the Machir Bay, I think its a good one, the 16 sounds good but sure is pricey.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@Adam-r6h5c Thanks for watching Yeah Machir Bay is really nice and I highly recommend the Machir Bay CS. This one, you're not missing too much for that price in my opinion. Cheers!

[@KanpaiPlanet]

"You can live in this nose" - I'm stealing that for a future review! As always your comments are eloquent and insightful. Kanpai my friend! 🥃🥃🥃

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@KanpaiPlanet Haha it's yours to use my friend! Thanks Mac, coming from the master wordsmith, this means a lot. Kanpai 🥃

[@SeawayWhiskyWire]

Great to see them releasing aged statements now. Lots of NASs in Canada but still playing catch up over here. Great review. Cheers mate.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@SeawayWhiskyWire Yeah they do actually have age statements in their single cask releases and anything I've tried between 9-13 have been fantastic! This one is way too expensive for less whisky, if that makes sense. Enjoy the core range, they are banging!

[@FreedsFirstTime_Whisky_Reviews]

Just poured some Sinaig and this vid popped up! This distillery has yet to do me wrong. I dig the dark blue, would love to try this.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@FreedsFirstTime_Whisky_Reviews Hah that's lucky! Has the Sanaig CS hit your market yet? That's a good 'un! Yeah I would say try this but not worth pulling the trigger. Cheers my friend, happy weekend

[@FreedsFirstTime_Whisky_Reviews]

@@thewhiskyenthusiast Na, not yet. Didn't know it existed haha. Well keep an eye out for it though. Great vid brotherman!

[@cemtuncel1602]

Another nice review, thx Sertug. Have you tried Kilchoman Loch Gorm? That’d be my favourite.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@cemtuncel1602 Thank you for watching, glad you've liked it. Yes I have the 2021 release and I really do enjoy it. I'm also a fan of the Sanaig and Sanaig CS. They do make good whiskies for sure, cheers

[@kevinnordby4808]

I found a bottle of this on sale for $150 because it wasn’t selling. Really tasty stuff! Glad I got a bottle at a more reasonable price and I hope they do this kind of thing again….but for a more reasonable asking price.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@kevinnordby4808 Wow that's a great price, I'm happy for you! Yeah 150$ would be around the right price of which this whisky should sell for. It is tasty stuff for sure but the high price tag really taints the experience. Thanks for watching 🥃

[@orcunmadran]

Great content bro, Teşekkürler 😅

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Ben tesekkur ederim ya ne gerek vardi 😃

[@mormorgranat]

Fun comparison, and a good honest review. Interesting, for me Kilchoman smoke is very similar to Laphroaig (medicinal, ashy) and not at all as meaty/peaty as Ardbeg and Laga

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@mormorgranat Thank you! Yeah I can see that and honestly for me, depending on the casks used, the smoke changes. I've always felt it had a bit of the big three in it, definitely a good character. Glad you liked the video, cheers

[@justwhisky]

Great video Sertug! Curious your thoughts on Sanaig @ 46% vs Sanaig cs ? Cheers 🥃

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

@@justwhisky Thanks John! Well I like the Sanaig a lot and I have tried and enjoyed the Sanaig CS but I have not tasted them side by side. If the price difference is not crazy, I would go for the CS but honest the regular release is more than enough for me 😃

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Tough when the palate does not match such a rich nose. Still, I would love to try the dram. Thanks for your thoughts!

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Yeah it was disappointing Jon but it sure deserves a try. Thanks for watching!

[@krassis6]

Great review! Will you be reviewing the Kilchoman Sanaig cask strength?

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Thank you! If it comes my way I'd love to do a comparison with the regular Sanaig.

[@andynelson5864]

Really enjoyed the cask strength Machir Bay. Both bottles I had seemed to improve with some air and time in them--turned buttery in mouth feel, softened a bit overall, just quite nice. Am also very much enjoying the cask strength Sanaig. Glad I grabbed a bottle early! My favorite "find," however, might be the 100% Islay 13th edition. (I'm still only a few pours into this bottle.) I think the all-bourbon route works really nicely, even if Kilchoman definitely works sherry into the mix as good as anyone does, in my opinion. Is this one deeply complex? Maybe not. But those grainy, barley sugar notes, the subtler peat, all of what shines from exclusively ex-bourbon casks, the silky mouth feel...just lovely.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Thanks for watching and your comments! I agree, full or 90% bourbon make up really works for Kilchoman but I do love their Loch Gorm and Sanaig expressions as well. I think overall they make some really good whisky. This one fell a bit short but for a fraction of the price, there are many a fantastic Kilchomans out there, like the ones you've mentioned! Cheers

[@brukuns]

I heard the 16 is crap... specially for the price, but not exclusively for the price.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Ahaha I don't agree with this comment but I enjoyed the way you wrote it 😃 I wouldn't say it's crap, it's a good whisky but for that price, it needs to be a great whisky which it isn't!

[@alehhandro1]

All of Kilchoman is overpriced in my opinion.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Not a fan huh? I don't think they're necessarily cheap but I wouldn't call them overpriced for the quality of product. To each his own I suppose. Cheers