St. Kilian single malt matured in Virgin Chestnut oak
Not all distilleries in Germany make only whisky, but St. Kilian is the exception. This distillery in Rüdenau started production over ten years ago, in 2015. The stills and washbacks all came from Scotland. I cannot remember if I ever tasted St. Kilian before, maybe at this or that tasting with my German whisky loving friends. Those kinds of nights often end in debauchery, so my memory is a bit misty. But today’s sample I tasted under controlled conditions at home! Let’s dive in!
St. Kilian 2019, bottled at 60 % abv by Blackadder
First things first: A Raw Cask expression true to its name, with high abv and deep, dark colour. The whisky was distilled on 27 February 2019 and filled into Virgin Chestnut cask # 3523. When it was ready, 273 bottles were filled in February 2024, but before the 27th, because this is 4 years old. Give or take a few days. A release for the German Market.
Upon Sipping: No idea what to expect from Chestnut Oak, but I like what I smell anyway. Autumnal forest, damp earth, lots of caramel and chocolate mousse. That’s it for now, we will return after some water, but first an undiluted sip. The taste is rich in chocolate notes, but the oak speaks loud, with hints of new wood that has been brightened up because somebody might come take a look at it. Like furniture on sale. It is hot, but not over the top hot. You can drink this neat, but let’s see if we pick up more character with a little water. More cinnamon, less caramel now. The tree is barking very loud, still. Water has toned down the noise a little, but made the wood influences more pronounced. The caramel on the tongue remains pleasant and soft.
Word to the Wise: If you like a lot of chocolate tastes in your single malt, this is a good bottle to seek out. It takes water very well, so you can dilute this into a litre of St. Kilian delight!
Score: 82 points.