Kilchoman

Introduction:

Kilchoman distillery, located on the Isle of Islay, is one of Scotland’s smallest distilleries. Despite its size, it offers a range of official bottlings with distinct flavors. The core expression is ‘Machir Bay’, highly acclaimed since its launch in 2012. The distillery also produces other expressions, including 100% Islay, Loch Grom, Single Cask, Port Cask Matured, Original Cask Strength, Madeira Cask Matured, and Vintage Bottlings. Independent bottlings from Kilchoman are not available yet.

Production:

Kilchoman performs every stage of the production process on-site, thanks to its small size. It has a production capacity of 480,000 liters per year and uses water from the nearby Allt Gleann Osamail burn. The distillery grows barley on 155 hectares of land, processing 300 to 350 tonnes annually. The spent grains are used for cattle feed and also fed to the distillery’s sheep.

Pot Stills:

Kilchoman operates with one wash still and one spirit still. The spirit still has a capacity of 1,600 liters, while the wash still holds 3,000 liters. The stills have unique shapes, with the spirit still featuring a tall, narrow conical neck and the wash still having a traditional ‘Speyside’ shape.

Maltings:

Kilchoman takes pride in growing its own barley next to the distillery. The barley is malted on-site, with varying levels of peatiness for different bottlings. Some barley is sourced from the surrounding fields, malted in – house with a phenol content of 20ppm, while the rest comes from mainland malting plants with a phenol content of 50ppm.

Mashing and Fermentation:

Kilchoman has two mash tuns with a volume of 1.2 tonnes each. One is used for 100% Islay malt, while the other processes grain from external malting plants. Fermentation takes place in fourteen stainless steel washbacks, each with a capacity of 6,000 liters, and lasts for 84 hours. This process contributes to the fruity, light, and floral character of the whiskies.

Warehouse:

Kilchoman reduces the spirit to 63.5% ABV before casking. First-fill bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace distillery and first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads and butts from Miguel Martin are used for aging. The distillery primarily uses bourbon casks, with a smaller portion aged in Oloroso casks. Kilchoman has dunnage and racked warehouses capable of storing about 15,000 barrels.

History:

Built in 2005, Kilchoman was the first newly opened distillery on Islay in 124 years. It is the most westerly distillery in Scotland and aimed to be fully independent. Anthony Wills, the managing director, chose the location and has received acclaim for the high – quality whisky and commitment to independence. The distillery underwent expansion in 2019, doubling its stills, adding a mash tun and washbacks, and increasing production to 480,000 liters per year.

Visitor Centre:

Kilchoman has a small visitor centre offering in-depth guides, distillery tours, a gift shop, and a café. Visitors can explore the whisky distillation process and enjoy the facilities on-site.

Visitor information:

Kilchoman Distillery
Rockside Farm
Bruichladdich
Isle of Islay
PA49 7UT
Tel: +44 1496-850011
Email: tours@kilchomandistillery.com