This is one of my favorites, I loved Machir Bay and will buy more. I found it quite different to Ardbeg, which I liked, but Ardbeg was more in-your-face peaty. Whereas I found the Machir Bay more subtle on the peat and complex. Amazing for a fairly cheap whisky.

I somewhat disagree with the review, being a very Islay/peat oriented drinker. The salt water and brine features remind me of Ardbeg. The peat and butterfy vanilla reminds me of Lagavulin... 8! A bit more aggressive than Lagavulin 16 when it comes to peat. I don't have any Ardbeg 10 at the moment, but I would say it gives the 10 yr expression more than a run for its money. It's going to be a mainstay in my cabinet. My favorite current peated offering within the price range is Port Charlotte 10 by Bruichladdich. I *can* agree that the competition in this price bracket is really fierce. I miss BenRiach - Curiositas. It was a relatively heavily peated Speyside that has been replaced by the Smoky 10 and 12 offerings.

When I took a first sip of this whisky, it was a new experience for me. I had a buttery citrus flavour fighting with the smoke and a little bit sharp finish. I like that. Is it worth to buy? Yes! I like the different experiences between the whisky's.

Superb review, Erik! Would love to see you do a rundown of various Kilchoman expressions including this, Loch Gorm and some of the finished bottles. Cheers brother!

I enjoy Machir Bay as a rougher, edgier alternative to other Islay single malts. It does have an aftertaste reminiscent of bitter orange peel. The peat is certainly more present than in Ardbeg 10. It sticks to the palate far longer than the 10 year releases from Ardbeg and Laphroaig. It certainly brings something unique to the table. I highly recommend it.

My Dear Eric, Another excellent review!!! I'm a Machir Bay fan 100%. I get a bunch of beautiful fruits in the nose like soft peach, banana as well as the citrus lemon custard and for me they are wrapped in the peat rather than fighting it....but I see , to a certain extent what you mean, that's just me. I'm looking forward to the 95% bourbon expression as well as the Cask Strength and 14yr Impex release as well. 100% Machier bay! I think I like it as counterpoint to my love of Ardbeg Corryvrecken and Laphroiag 10yr CS. It's just me. I love your style and the depth that you go to to explain what you're experiencing. I'm always watching and learning. Keep doing what you're doing, It's Great!!

Guess my tastes aren’t so refined. I just today compared my Ardbeg 10 directly with this Kilchoman Machir Bay and I found them both very good, slightly different but still complex. I didn’t at all think one blows the other out of the water. Guess I need more refined taste buds. Love them both.

Well now I know why Total Wine on my area put these on sale. They weren’t moving at $63 so they dropped them down to $48. That shelf cleared out quick. For $48 it is a couple of bucks cheaper than Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10.

A pretty spot on assessment of this whiskey. I got mine on sale with two matching Glencarins in a really nice gift set for a very decent price. Especially after converting USD to CDN dollars I feel as if I paid what the whiskey is worth. The fill level on mine is just approaching the shoulder and I’ve had it for about three months now. I didn’t know what to expect so I wasn’t disappointed however by no means is it my favorite.

I enjoyed this expression .And planning to buy the Cask strength en the rest of the core range. this is my dessert drink . Ty .Nice review.

Great review. I just bought a bottle of this fabulous whisky here in Germany and loved it.

Very nice work sir. I've found lagavulin 16 hits the notes that lul me to a calm ease. The 8 is really pretty for the depth but such a lovely sweet body and a smoked banana bread wrapped in seaweed. Like a hug from me granmum.

Another superb informative video. Totally agree that it is really not complex enough to make it great, rather than quite good.

Eric I find your review is the most accurate of this whiskey. I am commenting on a bottle purchased November 2020. I do not think it compares to other Islay scotches. As you note its too young. I feel it could improve with more aging. I would not buy this again. Young, aggressive, lacking depth. I would rate it a 70 at best. I am not getting the peaty/smoke from this that I would expect. Laphroaig or Ardbeg blow this away. At $65 in Michigan, I can do much better!

Its smokey grilled lemons, its one of the most clarion notes I've ever gotten from a whiskey. Its straight up grilled lemons on charcoal.

wow just tasted the port charlot 10 ,awesome !!

Seems that this whisky could benefit largely from a few more years of maturation, judging upon your description of its flavour profile, it certainly has the potential, only that it hasn't been given enough time to develop it. Thanks, great review, you've just saved me €50

Thanks Erik for the honest review I'll pass on this one . I have an open bottle of KILCHOMAN SANAIG I'm enjoying. Have you tried that one yet?.......Slainte'

Erik. I love your honesty. Thanks brother.

I don't get why Kilchoman editions are still branded as NAS. Most of them actually put the years of distillation and bottling on the label or on the box. This can't be clearer and more honest. Reminds me of old Balblairs without the vintage. Real NAS are more the Ardbeg Corry, Oogie and An Oa or Highland Park viking bulls..t.

Couldn't agree more! My first venture into scotch a few years ago. I'm a sucker for "free" glasses in the gift box. It is a very powerful fresh experience. Like the perennial argument goes......age matters. Age statements are relevant to my expectations and therefore my purchasing decisions. I am looking forward to American single malts with statements measured in years instead of months, aside from Texas and the South West. Doesn't have to be 12 or 15, but 4-10 would be delicious to see, I mean drink

Erik! Отличный обзор!! Ты один из лучших в мире!!! Thank you!!!

One of the best

I just added a Wee bit of water and I think it made a difference to the arrival

I've been finding I actually really love a neck pour from a smokey Islay. As I sit with a bottle and get passed the shoulder, getting acclimated to the peat I actually pick up more deep vegetal notes that I don't really enjoy as much at this point in my journey. I guess right now I want a whisky that's all savory smoke & ash, maybe a hint of oak and dark chocolate and not much else. I really love Ardbeg 10 and Port Charlotte 10. Like I really really love those when I first have a dram - my favorite, I love the savory bbq notes, the smoked meats/bacon, etc - but they do seem to get weird and vegetal to me after a few drams, particularly late at night perhaps once a buzz starts to kick in and my palette ceases to pick up the smoke anymore... So far Laphroaig Lore is the only one I've tried that doesn't shift to that vegetal taste for me after several drams and getting fully acclimated. I could keep drinking it all night if I could afford to. I keep going back to Ardbeg and Port Charlotte for their value and keep finding I seem to enjoy the neck pours from them the most.

Love yr Show. If ever I could, i would love you to try Kilchoman Series ONE 3 year-old (first realease, ever) 46% abv SUmmer 2010 . . . (imagine comparing Wee Beastie 5 yo)

I like this one. I think it costs the same as ardbeg 5 here. Thanks for review ❤

I just tried this for the first time tonight. It was awful compared to Ladaig 10 and the Ardbegs. I think once you graduate to these then its quite difficult to accept things like Kilchoman . I need complex and meatier scotches. Kilhoman is just too bland for me personally and it’s youth is tough for me to get passed, heck I feel Wee Beastie from Ardbeg at 5 years in much better than the Kilchoman line up. My opinion!

I echo your thoughts on this whiskey. Pretty middle of the road for me. I haven’t tried any others from Kilchoman and I’m sure they have better expressions, I just won’t be running to buy this one again.

Yes. We called this one Burned Fruit Tree in our blind tasting.

Review meshes with my experience. When I drink it by itself it is “fine.” But when compared with any other peated malt, it struggles. One of my more disappointing buys-perhaps owing to high reputational expectations.

Thanks for the review Erik! I have wanted to try this one for quite some time. Unfortunately, it is about $105 CAD here (around $75 USD) before taxes, so I have to pass at that price.

Do you think the cask strength version would bring enough to warrant a $65 price tag? I was planning on picking it up as a gift for a good buddy who, like me, enjoys the peat and smoke of Islay. He's a Port Charlotte and Bunnahabhain fan, I'm an Ardbeg and Laphroaig devotee, but sometimes I like to push things in a different direction. That's why I was considering this Machir Bay Cask Strength (around 118-120 proof).

Right to the target!

Its better with a few drops of water

The answer is Loch Gorm... At least for me.

Heh... i do not agree with assesment. I feel lot more in that whisky including eucaliptus and fruitiness.