Kilchoman Sanaig

Kilchoman Distillery, established in 2005 by Anthony Wills, held the distinction of being Islay's first new distillery in 124 years and the industry's 'newcomer' until Ardnahoe joined the island's whisky community in late 2018. While Malt Mill (1908) operated within Lagavulin's premises, it was not an independent distillery as it shared Lagavulin's mash tuns. Kilchoman's success with its single malt whisky prompted a major expansion that doubled production capacity. The new still room, commissioned in April 2019, features two 1.2-ton stainless steel semi-lauter mash tuns, twelve 6,000-liter stainless steel washbacks with a 90-hour fermentation period, and two sets of stills. Production reached 220,000 liters in 2018, with projections of 300,000 liters for 2019. The distillery maintains traditional floor malting for 30% of its requirements, including 20 PPM peated malt, while sourcing the remaining 70% from Port Ellen Maltings, which includes malts peated to 50 PPM. The core range comprises Machir Bay and Sanaig (launched 2016, matured in bourbon and oloroso sherry casks). Loch Gorm is the limited edition expression that is uniquely fully sherry-matured, crafted from 100% Islay-grown barley that is malted on-site. Special releases include the STR Cask (distilled May 2019, using 50 PPM peated malt, bottled at 50% ABV, matured in re-charred and re-toasted red wine casks) and a 9-year-old 2009 Vintage. The 2019 Feis Ile special edition is a vatting of 2007 bourbon cask and 2008 oloroso sherry cask whiskies. The portfolio is completed by travel retail exclusives Coull Point (UK market) and Saligo Bay (global market).