陌生的名字 Kilkerran a Stranger Name

 

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English version at page bottom

每間威士忌酒廠都有好些不同的分野，如水源， 烘焙發酵的方法，不同形狀的蒸餾器, 蒸餾的時間和酒心率，木桶的應用和陳年的環境，加上調酒師的調配工藝, 造就出威士忌不同酒廠個別獨特的風格。 蘇格蘭威士忌酒廠在過去百多二百年間，很多都是開完又執，執完又開. 有些在閉廠一段時間後，有財主注資後，在更新整理設備後，會以原先設備生產重開。但好些酒廠在關閉後，設備被拆除賣掉，甚至連廠房建築也被拆卸， 但多年之後，仍然會有人將這些酒廠重生，繼承的，只有名字及原址而已.

曾經被稱為"世界威士忌之都"的 Campbeltown，近數十年一度只剩下 Springbank 和 Glen Scotia 兩間酒廠相依為命，直至到 2004 年 3 月正式再開業的 Glengyle，這貴為蘇格蘭四大傳統產區之一的坎貝爾鎮，才沒有那麼孤清。對了，再開業? 正確，Glengyle 最先於 1872 至 1873 年間已經開業，由於Springbank 被踢走的 William Mitchell 所建立，這又是一個兄弟鬩牆的故事。酒廠營運了一段日子，最終於 1925 年結業。

時光飛逝七十多年，其間風風雨雨，聞名一時的"世界威士忌之都"坎貝爾鎮亦只餘下兩間酒廠.  Springbank 的 Mitchell 家族於 2002 年開始重建 Glengyle，到 2004 年正式投產。 雖然不知重開 Glengly 的是 Mitchell 家族的那房人，但當年分開的 Glengyle，也總算是重回故鄉。

Glengyle 定下正式的酒款，以十年陳為起步，但 Glengyle 和其他新開業的酒廠一樣，其間會推出一些階段性的瓶裝，Kilkerran Work In Progress (WIP)，便從市場上出現了。Kilkerran 是由蓋爾語  Gaelic, Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain 轉化命名，原意是 Saint  Kieran 的祈禱室，亦是後來 Campeltown 的所在地，用以命名這於 Campeltown 重生的不平凡酒廠。 WIP 也者，Work In Progress 是也，到目前為止，WIP 已經出到第六版，而第五和第六版分別有雪莉桶陳和波本桶陳的酒款. Glengyle 十年陳的正式酒款，相信不久後亦會推出。

Kilkerran WIP4, 700 ml, 46%

氣味: 花蜜，檸檬皮，奶油，曲奇，乾草，肥皂，香草
口味: 蜜糖，橙皮果醬，奶油，蛋糕，香草
餘蘊: 中等長度，新的陳皮，咖啡渣，曲奇
結論: 奶油的氣味很重，很下午茶的感覺，丁點的肥皂氣味提你吃東西前要洗手。雖則是 ABV 46% 的酒精度，沒甚酒精感, 酒體不算重，同樣是一份英式下午茶。餘蘊很柔軟，舒適。很輕盈的一款酒，不複雜，酒體柔軟，柔順易飲，飲得過之選。

English Version of Tasting Note

The different water sources, kilning, brewing, shapes of pot, distillation, casks, environment of aging and etc, plus skill of master blender, that differentiate distinctive characteristics amongst different distilleries. There were many distilleries going though the pattern of closure and reopening in the past century. Some were just mothballed or being said silent. Having new fund injected they were reopening and resuming production with original equipment. However, many of them were completely closed, equipment and even building structure all gone, merely the name and soil if anything left.

Campbeltown was used to call “Whisky Capital of the World" but turned out leaving only Springbank and Glen Scotia these two distilleries survival in the recent decades until 2004 the reopening of Glengyle Distillery. Yes, it can be deemed a reopening as Glengyle was at first established by William Mitchell in between 1872 & 1873 after he was repelled by the management of Springbank, and at last it was closed in 1925.

Time flew 70 years passed, the “Whiksy Capital of the World" left only two distilleries as aforesaid. The Mitchell family of Springbank begun the rebuilding of Glengyle in 2002 and the distillery has been reborn in 2004. The split families have finally reunited.

Glengyle set the objective for its standing bottling starting from 10 years old. Glengyle is doing the same as to other newly established distilleries that is releasing some bottlings at different stages, which is the Kilkerran Work In Progress (WIP) series. Kilkerran is Gaelic, originally “Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain" which means the praying chamber of Saint Kieran, where later became Campbeltown. Current WIP is two versions of release 6, Bourbon and Sherry casks respectively. The 10 years old standard bottling will be released soon.

Kilkerran WIP4, 700 ml, 46%

Nose: Nectar, lemon zest, butter, cookie, hay, soap, vanilla
Palate: Honey, marmalade, butter, cake, vanilla
Aftertaste: Medium length, dried mandarin peel, coffee grounds, cookie
Conclusion: Rich butter smell, afternoon tea, hint of soap reminding you to wash your hands before meal. Though its alcohol strength reaches 46%, not alcohol burnt, medium, still an English afternoon tea set. Soft and comfortable aftertaste. A light and soft dram, not complex, smooth and easy to drink, a good whisky.