Kilchoman
- OWNER: KILCHOMAN
- FOUNDED: 2005
- REGION: ISLAY
- PRONUNCIATION: Kill-HO-man
Kilchoman is one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland to gain international acclaim, though it’s still among the smallest; making just 90,000 liters a year, it is about one one-hundredth of the size of the new, expanded Macallan. It is a self-styled “farm distillery,” and, true to form, it grows a sizable amount of its own barley (and buys more of it from Islay farmers) and malts a portion of it on-site. Much of its whisky is still quite young, and it shows, but in a good way—proof that the right ingredients, a solid distiller, and good barrel management are more important than the blunt forces of time in producing a worthy spirit.
Kilchoman
Machir Bay
This expression is aged in a mix of three-, four-, and five-year-old ex-bourbon casks, then spends eight short weeks in sherry butts. It gets its name from a spot that, according to the distillery, is the prettiest beach in all of Islay.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Pine, citrus, iodine, a beach campfire, fresh rubber, seaweed, and powdered sugar; water uncovers the sherry influence, along with raisins and coffee.
- PALATE Campfire, burnt cookies, grilled oranges, caramel, and raisins; a strong wood note emerges with water, along with smoke reek, cigar ash, and candied orange. The finish is all about campfire and salted caramel.
- GENERAL Good to begin with, the nose and palate improve significantly with water. Either way, it’s a delicious blend of citrus and smoke.
Sanaig
Named for an inlet near the distillery, Sanaig is aged for three to four years in ex-bourbon casks, then another ten months in oloroso sherry casks.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Dark citrus, raisin bread, fresh sea air, charcoal, coastal peat, toffee, and pine; with water, you get grass, hay, and a big sherry hit.
- PALATE Chocolate-covered raisins, charcoal, apricots, and grilled fruit; with water, pineapple pops up, followed by smoke and ash. The finish is long and creamy, with citrus, cinnamon stick, and mild smoke.
- GENERAL Creamy, malty, fruity, peaty—a great combo, pulled off perfectly.
Kilchoman
100% Islay 2008 EDITION
An annual release, Kilchoman’s 100% Islay is literally that: Every ingredient—the barley, the peat, the water—comes from the island, just as every step in the production takes place there.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 16 years old
- ALC/VOL 50%
- NOSE Retrained peat; saltwater and raspberry jam dominate.
- PALATE A robust but balanced flavor, tilting between raspberries and mint on one side and wood smoke and chocolate powder on the other, with a finish that lingers in peat and mint.
- GENERAL Don’t let the berry and mint notes fool you—the peat is strong with this one. But the balance between the two makes for an intriguing drink.
Loch Gorm
Loch Gorm is a relatively young whisky from Kilchoman, aged exclusively in new and refill ex-oloroso sherry butts. It is a limited annual release, first launched in 2012.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Warm campfire ashes, grilled pork, with a slight mossy salinity; a little water brings out beef stew and loam.
- PALATE Extremely peaty, with campfire, cinnamon sticks, baker’s chocolate, and dried orange peel, and a quick, dry finish.
- GENERAL A whisky only a peat head could love: not especially sweet or complex, just a roaring, smoky fire of a dram.
Kilchoman
2008 Vintage
Every year Kilchoman releases a vintage-dated single malt, aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels. At seven years old, the 2008 is Kilchoman’s oldest release to date.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE The peat is restrained; in its place, raspberries, hay, and soft rubbery notes come forward.
- PALATE Aye, there’s the peat! And loads of it: cigar, cherry syrup, chocolate, and campfire. The finish is medium-length, and slightly spicy.
- GENERAL An iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove. The nose is balanced, even subtle, but on the tongue it’s a four-alarm peat bomb—but not without some subtlety.
Cask Strength
Aged in ex-bourbon barrels, then dumped into bottles without a drop of water added.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 59.2%
- NOSE Strangely muted, with lemon, charcoal, dried apricots, and oak shavings; water brings out graham crackers.
- PALATE Vanilla, toasted nuts, bananas, and charcoal at the mid-palate; graham crackers, berries, and a bit of mint come out with water. The finish is long and dry, with more of those bananas.
- GENERAL A solid dram, but not much of an improvement from the standard proof.