Kilchoman 100% Islay, the 13th Edition 2023 / 50% / 0.7l

Kilchoman is a young distillery on the Isle of Islay, it began producing whisky in 2005.

Its name refers to the local, small parish. Kilchoman is often referred to as a “farm distillery,” as much of the grain used for distillation comes from the surrounding fields. In 2011, Kilchoman 100% Islay debuted, a whisky whose every step of production—growing the barley, malting, distilling, maturing, and bottling—takes place on the island. The 13th edition of 100% Islay hit the market in September 2023, featuring whisky distilled from barley from the company’s own 200-acre farm, harvested in 2012, 2013, and 2014. The blend used 44 ex-bourbon barrels, mostly first-fill, and the production ran to 13,000 bottles.

Nose: barley malt, apples, pears, peaches, pineapples, orange peel, vanilla, honey, milk fudge, a pinch of salt and pepper and a light smoke in the background.

Palate: vanilla pudding, toffee, salted caramel, honeyed breakfast cereal, candied citrus peel, baked apples, a dash of white pepper, toasted oak and a hint of smoke.

Finish: medium long, slightly smoky, with notes of vanilla, buttered buns, toffee, honey, a pinch of cinnamon and oak.