Kilchoman

Kilchoman

When Anthony Wills, the founder of Kilchoman Distillery Co Ltd, realized that the demand for single malt whiskey had increased in the 1990s, he decided to start a farm distillery. Islay proved to be the best location for a farm distillery as the climate is favorable for growing barley and there is plenty of water and peat for drying the malt. Kilchoman Distillery currently produces around 225,000 liters of alcohol annually. Since its inception, Kilchoman has won several notable awards. The first single malt whiskey the distillery produced won the title of 'Whisky of the Year' at the International Whiskey Competition and received the highest rating from more than 50 whiskey experts eight years after its initial release. In addition, Kilchoman Machir Bay, 100% Islay and Loch Gorm whiskeys were awarded silver medals at the 2017 International Wine and Spirits Competition for their exceptional flavours. The head of the Kilchoman collection. The most stunning beach on Islay inspired Machir Bay. Shortly after its release in 2012, it was awarded a gold medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. (IWSC). Machir Bay has a flavor of butterscotch and vanilla with a smoky aftertaste. It lives up to its name: 100% Islay. Islay Distillery is responsible for every phase of the manufacturing process. The barley is grown, malted, distilled, stored and bottled on the farm. A new batch of 100% Islay is released each year at a robust 50% ABV. The only ex-sherry cask in the Kilchoman line, the Loch Grom has a strong sherry aroma and fruity flavor. Kilchoman will be releasing new Loch Grom editions from 2012 onwards. The famous lake that is right in front of the distillery is the source of the name. Kilchoman's handpicked vintages are matured in some of the farm's oldest bourbon casks. The first vintage, which was five years old, was launched in 2006. Since then, a vintage of 2007 and 2015 has been launched. Because they are matured in bourbon casks, each vintage has a distinct caramel aroma. Launched in 2014, Port Cask Matured matures in Ruby Port casks, allowing rich, nutty and chocolaty flavors to unfold. The whiskey has a mahogany-like dark colour. It is stronger than most of the other whiskeys in the Kilchoman collection and has an ABV of 55% when bottled. Kilchoman's Madeira Cask Matured is an innovative product. While it is common to only age whiskey in wine casks for a few months, Kilchoman ages Madeira there for three to five years. This process creates a whiskey that is robust, nutty and full of flavor.

Expression of Kilchoman whisky

The first thing you'll notice is that this Scotch whiskey is unmistakably on the lighter side of the color spectrum. Although caramel coloring is a common and legal ingredient in most single malt Scotch, this color is a lot closer to what you actually get out of the cask: a hay-colored liquid that almost resembles a light gold colour. This might actually have more to do with the other manufacturers' additives than the aging process here. The peat smoke you would expect from an Islay Scotch is the first aroma that springs to mind, along with some honey and floral blossoms. Fruit flavors such as melon, pear, peach and lemon are also present along with a light nuttiness. To be honest I wasn't really prepared for the severity of the flavor profile I was experiencing. I was expecting something more like a Glenmorangie but got a Lagavulin. The peat smoke is in the foreground, giving the impression that you've just stepped into a cozy Scottish pub on a chilly day, but there's a lot more to it than that. Lemon and peach are present on the nose, along with some vanilla, some maltiness from the grain and a strong minerality that tastes almost salty. Overall, it has a lot in common with other island-specific idioms. The only problem I have is the ending: just before the end, the tongue picks up a faint taste of bitterness. It disappears quickly, but is not really wanted at this moment. On the one hand, hostility has disappeared. From start to finish, the experience is seamless and delicious. On the other hand, peat smoke has weakened significantly. It's a fruitier and floral form of spirit that's no longer as heavily peated to balance things out. In contrast to an Islay product, it is more comparable to a Highland Scotch. However, sharpness is the only thing that hasn't changed. It still has that slightly salty flavor typically found in spirits aged by the sea.

Kilchoman Sanaig

Kilchoman Sanaig is an attractive revelation from Islay's newest distillery. It is a peaty single malt that has been bottled in both bourbon and sherry casks and is very pleasant. It is named after a small, rocky creek located very close to the distillery on the west coast of the island. Expect lots of fruit, earthy peat and hints of raisins in this whisky, coated in dark chocolate. If you are interested in purchasing a specific batch of this whiskey, please contact our Customer Service for more details.

tasting notes

Pineapple chunks with white grapes on the nose. Fresh coffee aromas with hints of earthy, slightly smoky peat are present. Palate: More bright fruit, this time peaches, along with raisins coated in dark chocolate and a faint hint of red berries. The peat continues to increase, along with some black pepper. Finish: The peat from the sea stays for quite a while.

Kilchoman Machir Bay

Kilchoman's Machir Bay from Islay is a premium single malt Scotch whiskey. Distillers use whiskey aged in ex-Bourbon casks and Oloroso sherry casks for its balanced flavor profile with notes of vanilla pastry, light fruit and warm peat smoke. A fine expression from the Farm Distillery on Islay.

tasting notes

Smell: Layers of subtle peat smoke, flaky vanilla pastry and citrus zest. The palate opens generously with a rush of tropical fruit and dried raisins. Warm smoke still blows playfully. Sherry fruit and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper characterize the finish.

Kilchoman Loch Gorm

The 2021 edition consists of 24 Oloroso Sherry casks that were bottled in 2011 and 2012. These massive 500 liter sherry casks, containing Kilchoman spirit peated at 50 parts per million, were acquired from Bodega Miguel Martin in Spain. After aging for at least 9 years, these casks were brought together, bottled at 46% ABV and made 17,000 bottles available to Kilchoman lovers worldwide.

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2022

Kilchoman's superb Loch Gorm Single Malt Scotch Whiskey for 2022 is introduced! Loch Gorm is a very popular bottling that never fails to impress. It's rich in sherry and features the familiar smoky notes we've come to know and love from this amazing Islay distillery. Twenty brand new Oloroso sherry casks and two refill casks were used to create this special bottling. Tasting Notes Juicy oranges and strawberries on the nose with hints of cigar box and salted caramel. On the palate, oily walnut, freshly cut grass, more summer fruits, milk chocolate and cloves. Finish: earthy malt, candied ginger and cinnamon

Kilchoman Saligo Bay

"Saligo Bay" was the second and final exclusive travel retail edition at the time of writing. It was named after a rocky cove on the west coast of Islay. It is made from five year old ex-bourbon casks. Tasting Notes Bouquet: Initially ashy-dry peat smoke notes, which are evident but not completely dominant, followed or interwoven by fruity sweetness and a clearly perceptible but rather muted note: Kilchoman fruit compote. Citrus notes follow, a tiny bit of vanilla, coconut, honey, almonds and a very slight hint of furniture polish. Looks pretty light and airy. A little metallic and alcoholic-piquant. Taste: Cooked yellow fruit with the typical Kilchoman sweetness on a fairly dry base. Vanilla, sparkling alcoholic spiciness, a touch of metal, hardly any tones of wood and very little bitterness on the finish. Finish: Moderately long and fairly dry. A little bitter at the end In summary, this bourbon whiskey is pleasant and light, with no unpleasant overtones like Kilchoman's recent quarterly bottlings. Despite showing its youth (a bit metallic, not very complex and with few wood tones), it is quite fruity and delicious.

Kilchoman Madeira cask

The limited edition Madeira Cask Matured was distilled in May 2016 and aged for 5 years and 3 months in 46 new Madeira hogsheads before being bottled at 50% ABV in August 2021. A bottle shortage prevented us from launching it as planned before the end of 2021. The Madeira Cask Matured is currently available in Kilchoman stores around the world.

Kilchoman Genesis

The second release in the "Genesis" series of Kilchoman wines from German importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft Bremen. The aim of this series is to provide a comprehensive look at how Kilchoman whiskey is made, from barley to bottle, with unique bottlings for each step of the process. There are eight such bottlings in total. With this bottling, "stage 2 - malting" is honored. Kilchoman Distillery is renowned for malting and distilling locally grown barley. 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry and 20% Sauternes wine casks were used to mature this whisky. It is noteworthy that this whiskey contains three different types of barley: Laureate malt, Concerto from the Kilchoman malthouses and Concerto from the Port Ellen malthouses. The end result is a dram with notes of vanilla, peaches, white grapes, lemon zest, mild fresh fruit, ginger, charred oak, dark chocolate and green apples - all signature Kilchoman notes.

Location Kilchoman