This St. Kilian 2017 from the Adelphi Selection is an unpeated German single malt from a first-fill Moscatel butt, bottled at 59.7% and, with only 694 bottles, a decidedly limited release. While Adelphi is primarily known for Scottish single casks, this bottling demonstrates the breadth of the bottler's vision.
St. Kilian is located in Rüdenau in the Odenwald and has been distilling since 2016 with copper pot stills from Forsyths, following a Scottish-Irish model. Some of the casks mature in former military ammunition bunkers — cool and humid, which makes the maturation remarkably slow.
The Moscatel cask gives this whisky a sweet, wine-like character: grape must, candied citrus, and apricot, lifted by honey and vanilla. The 59.7% provides structure and a warming spice, without overpowering the fruity core. A few drops of water open it up further.
An excellent choice for anyone who wants to experience German single malt at its best, and for lovers of wine-cask maturation who look beyond sherry and port.
