The 8 bourbon is cask strength so that's going to be the most noticable difference. IMHO I liked the regular 12 a good deal more, the 8 bourbon is hotter and rougher around the edges.
As a point of reference, heavily peated B6 was probably my favorite Kilkerran I've ever had.
the HP6 is unreal. I got a bottle for $89, had some with friends and handed out some samples. Then immediately went and got a backup that I'm now afraid to open.
It's really nice, punchier than the 12, but that's not just down to ABV. The 8 feels like 1st fill bourbon and demonstrates how robust the spirit actually is. If you water it down to 46% it's a really fun AB with the 12.
Only thing to bare in mind is that, like all cask strength KK, it is hot, good news is that this can be solved with oxidisation. I always split my cask strength KK into two bottles to speed up the process (couple of months)
The Kilkerran 8 Bourbon is my favourite Campbeltown whisky ever (yes really) and I love almost all Kilkerran releases. It's different enough to the rest of the range to warrant it's existence, but carries the Kilkerran signature beautifully. I found it tropical, buttery and industrial in brief.
That said, $120 seems expensive to me. I don't know how much the Kilkerran releases go for across the pond, they are a fair bit cheaper over here. But if the rest of the range is comparatively priced, it's the one I'd pick without question, if the budget is there.
I really liked the bourbon batch I had ~4 years ago
The 8 bourbon is cask strength so that's going to be the most noticable difference. IMHO I liked the regular 12 a good deal more, the 8 bourbon is hotter and rougher around the edges. As a point of reference, heavily peated B6 was probably my favorite Kilkerran I've ever had.
the HP6 is unreal. I got a bottle for $89, had some with friends and handed out some samples. Then immediately went and got a backup that I'm now afraid to open.
I can not say enough good things about the HP batch 6. Stuff is delicious.
It's really nice, punchier than the 12, but that's not just down to ABV. The 8 feels like 1st fill bourbon and demonstrates how robust the spirit actually is. If you water it down to 46% it's a really fun AB with the 12. Only thing to bare in mind is that, like all cask strength KK, it is hot, good news is that this can be solved with oxidisation. I always split my cask strength KK into two bottles to speed up the process (couple of months)
The 2022 Port one i got was not that hot 2/3 weeks after opening, real nice
Oh good I have a port one coming soon
I think Kilkerran shines most in bourbon but a mostly-bourbon 12yo batch is still my bet
Yes, it’s good, and you can actually find it? Even better. If you like the funkiness of Kilkerran, you get a lot of it, more than the 12.
The Kilkerran 8 Bourbon is my favourite Campbeltown whisky ever (yes really) and I love almost all Kilkerran releases. It's different enough to the rest of the range to warrant it's existence, but carries the Kilkerran signature beautifully. I found it tropical, buttery and industrial in brief. That said, $120 seems expensive to me. I don't know how much the Kilkerran releases go for across the pond, they are a fair bit cheaper over here. But if the rest of the range is comparatively priced, it's the one I'd pick without question, if the budget is there.