Kilkerran comes from Glengyle, the third of Campbeltown's three surviving distilleries and by far the youngest in operation. Glengyle was founded in 1872, fell silent in 1925 during the collapse that took Campbeltown from the whisky capital of the world down to a handful of survivors, and stayed closed for nearly eighty years until Mitchell's Glengyle Ltd, the sister company of Springbank, reopened it in 2004. The whisky carries the name Kilkerran rather than Glengyle because the Glengyle name was already registered elsewhere as a blended malt. Kilkerran derives from Ceann Loch Cille Chiarain, the Gaelic name for the early settlement that became Campbeltown, and the site where Saint Kieran had his religious cell. The Heavily Peated series is the smokier side of the distillery, produced during only a small part of the annual run, and each release is a small batch bottled at natural cask strength. Batch 14 is the fourteenth in the series, a 2026 bottling matured in ninety percent ex bourbon casks and ten percent ex sherry, and bottled at 58.3 percent alcohol by volume without chill filtration or added colouring. What comes through is peat smoke that never bullies the spirit underneath it: creamy butterscotch, banana fritter and elderflower on the nose, then honeydew melon and a savoury cured meat note across the palate with the smoke running through the middle, closing on verbena, honeycomb and lingering ash. Campbeltown character with the smoke turned up rather than an Islay impression. Neat, with water if you want it.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
58.3% |
| Proof |
116.6 |
| Size |
700ml (70cl) |
| Country |
Scotland |
| Region |
Campbeltown |
| Distillery |
Glengyle Distillery, Campbeltown, founded 1872, reopened 2004 |
| Producer |
Mitchell's Glengyle Ltd. |
| Importer |
Pacific Edge Imports, Westlake Village, CA |
| Category |
Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
| Expression |
Heavily Peated, Batch 14 |
| Batch |
14, bottled 2026 |
| Maturation |
90% ex bourbon casks, 10% ex sherry casks |
| Filtration |
Non chill filtered |
| Colour |
Natural, no added colouring |
| Strength |
Natural cask strength |
| Production |
Small batch, limited release |
Tasting Notes
Color: Warm amber gold, entirely natural.
Nose: Creamy butterscotch leads, with banana fritter and elderflower lifting above the peat smoke.
Palate: Peat smoke carried on honeydew melon and a savoury cured meat note, with sweet malt and coastal salinity underneath.
Finish: Long and smoky, closing on verbena and honeycomb.
FAQ
Q: Why is it called Kilkerran and not Glengyle?
A: The Glengyle name was already registered as a blended malt brand, so the distillery bottles its single malt as Kilkerran, derived from the Gaelic name for the settlement that became Campbeltown.
Q: What batch is this?
A: Batch 14, the fourteenth release in the Heavily Peated series, bottled in 2026 at 58.3 percent. Each batch is bottled at its own natural cask strength.
Q: What casks was it matured in?
A: Ninety percent ex bourbon casks and ten percent ex sherry casks.
Q: Is it related to Springbank?
A: Yes. Glengyle is owned by Mitchell's Glengyle Ltd, the sister company of Springbank, and the two share operations staff. They are separate distilleries producing separate whiskies.
Q: Is it chill filtered or coloured?
A: Neither. It is bottled non chill filtered at natural colour and natural cask strength.
Q: Where can I buy Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 14 online?
A: Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
