A Scot on Scotch

WHISKY REVIEWS, NEWS, HISTORY & FOLKLORE

Islay’s Farm Distillery

A Scot on Scotch checks out the latest core release from Kilchoman Distillery in Islay. The Kilchoman Batch Strength Islay Single Malt was released in March 2024.

Until recently, Kilchoman was Islay’s newest distillery but with other locations coming online, the farm distillery almost feels like one of the old hands now. Kilchoman was established in 2005 by Anthony Wills and is unique on the island because it grows some of its barley requirements onsite.

Around 15% of the barley used at Kilchoman is grown in the surrounding fields. Once distilled, it becomes the 100% Islay single malt, the definitive representation of the distillery’s barley-to-bottle ethos. The rest of the malt comes from a commercial maltster.

Kilchoman has undergone many changes in its relatively short life. The addition of a new, larger, floor malting, mashtun, washbacks and a second still-house increased production capacity to 480,000 litres per annum in 2020 and the launch of a new Visitor Centre gave the distillery a larger, more open space in which to welcome guests.

The birth of Kilchoman was an important step in the resurgence of Scotch whisky. Arran Distillery came along first but it was Kilchoman – and the work of the late Dr Jim Swan – that perfected the art of creating a spirit that would excel as a single malt as soon as it turned 3 years old. That development laid the groundwork for the dozens of distilleries that followed.

I’ve always found Kilchoman a fascinating place to visit. It feels so unlike its island neighbours because it’s the only distillery that doesn’t perch on the coastline (for now). A quaint wee farm, surrounded by golden barley fields probably isn’t how people picture Islay but certain tell-tale signs give away its location. The cutting wind that rushes in off the Atlantic is one of them. The smell of peat smoke hanging in the air is another.

In my opinion, the distillery is one of the best in Scotland to learn about the whisky-making process because there’s a completeness here you won’t find anywhere else. You travel through the whole system from the barley fields you drive past on the way in, through malting, milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, maturing and bottling. It’s all there to be explored.

Of course, it’s all well and good having an ethos and a strong identity but it would all mean nothing if the liquid wasn’t actually any good. Fortunately, that’s never been a problem for Kilchoman. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a bad one.

My last trip to Kilchoman came during the Islay Whisky Academy Residential Diploma of Spring 2024 (you can watch a video of that trip here). By sheer luck, our visit coincided with the launch of the new Batch Strength edition. Clearly, destiny had decreed that I must own a bottle.

The Whisky

The Kilchoman Batch Strength is a new core expression made by combining different casks. The recipe includes whisky matured in re-charred red wine casks, oloroso sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels. Each vatting is diluted slightly to achieve a consistent batch strength of 57% abv.

Smell: The first thing you notice is the Islay peat. There’s even a slightly medicinal note that reminds me of Germolene antiseptic cream. There’s coal and charcoal. Then comes some grassy, gristy malt. Lemon air freshener. Lemon peels. Oatcakes and savoury biscuits. Wee touches of strawberry and raspberry. Subtle baking spices.

Taste: Peppery arrival with thick peat smoke. A touch of sea salt. Oatcakes again with barley sugars. Toffee. Werther’s Originals. Scottish tablet. Barbecue coals and chargrilled pineapple. Marmalade on burnt toast. A wee hint of strawberry as it moves towards the finish. Gentle oak notes at the back and some dry, lingering chimney smoke at the end.

Thoughts: Sometimes I think of Kilchoman as the lighter side of Islay. It can certainly be young and fresh and some bottlings, like the 100% Islay, are a bit lower on the ppm than you might expect of Islay but the spirit can also pack a punch when it wants to and this Batch Strength showcases that nicely. The recharred casks seem to bolster the smoke and together they create a powerfully pungent take on Kilchoman. The arrival is particularly big but the whisky softens as it develops and a nice maltiness comes through with wee sporadic flashes of fruitiness. Crucially, it feels very different from the other core releases. Something new for Kilchoman that maintains the standards I’ve come to expect from this excellent wee distillery.

Price: £70. Naturally, I would have preferred to see the price a bit cheaper but it’s not too extreme by the standards of the inflated market we’re currently suffering. It’s tolerable given the quality on offer.

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For more about Kilchoman visit here

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