Tasting Notes: Kilchoman 4th Limited Edition 100% Islay Single Malt Whisky!

Kilchoman 4th Limited Edition 100% Islay Single Malt Whisky

Kilchoman has released its 4th limited edition 100% Islay whisky!

Forty first-fill bourbon barrels were selected, 32 five year old and eight four-year-old for the limited edition bottling.

The 4th Edition of 100% Islay is non chill-filtered, natural colour and bottled at 50% ABV.

The 100% Islay whisky range is unique. It is produced from barley grown at the distillery, and every step of the production is completed onsite so it is literally 100% Islay from barley to bottling. Previous editions have been awarded 2013 IWSC bronze, Spirits Business Gold and IWC Silver.

The 100% Islay is only lightly peated compared to the more heavily peated Kilchoman Machir Bay and Loch Gorm expressions.

Anthony Wills, managing director of Kilchoman, said: “The 100% Islay range is something we are very proud of and we hope that people will enjoy the latest offering. It is very exciting to be able to offer a product which is created 100% on Islay.”

“The 4th edition represents a significant development in the maturity of our 100% Islay range,” commented John MacLellan, distillery manager. “Its balance and complexity far surpassed our expectations.”

Kilchoman has also recently celebrated the appointment of George Wills at Kilchoman Distillery which means that there is now a full complement of the Wills’ family working at Scotland’s only farm distillery on Islay.

George joins his two brothers James and Peter, plus parents Anthony and Kathy Wills.

George’s particular remit will primarily be developing sales in the UK, although with a small family business he is often called on to turn his hand to many aspects of the business.

After working in the agricultural and property arenas, George was attracted to the drinks and hospitality sector, initially working as assistant manager at the renowned Oystercatcher Restaurant on Loch Fyne.

Three years on he moved to a gastro pub in north Wales, before taking on the management of a gastro pub in North Wales and latterly managing three pubs for Brightspire, where he has been working for the last five years.

George said: “I am very excited to join the rest of my family at Kilchoman and help promote our brands, throughout the UK particularly.”

From September this year the three brothers will embark on a five week journey around Europe in a specially adapted Land Rover, visiting European distributors and holding tastings at 20 or more events.

In November they will visit UK distributors and whisky events.

In the 1940s the boys’ great grandfather and his brother, Spencer and Maurice Wilks, designed and manufactured the first Land Rover in Britain.

It is fitting that 80 years on the entrepreneurial young brothers are setting off on their own journey of discovery to promote whisky that they have been helping produce at their family distillery on Islay – in a specially designed Land Rover.

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 100% Islay 4th Edition Malt Whisky ( 50% ABV )

Kilchoman Loch Gorm Single Malt Whisky

Nose: A pale straw colour malt with a smoky and peaty nose. Hints of citrus fruits.

Palate: Very light on the tongue. Surprising sweetness and smoky mellow peat. Dried fruit and spicy fruit cake mixture.

Finish: Dry black pepper, smooth smokiness which lingers long. The 50% gives it some bite!

Overall: I find this very similar to The Loch Gorm but with a milder peat hit. But that’s not a negative, just another way to enjoy the gorgeous peat flavours! Once again, a fantastic, morish dram that I’m sure will be well received by peat and Kilchoman lovers!

70cl, 50%

Average: £64.99

Many thanks to Kilchoman for the sample.

Kilchoman was founded in 2005 and is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and was the first distillery to be built on Islay for 125 years.

A working farm distillery, it is one of only a handful of distilleries still practising floor malting.

Kilchoman also grows a portion of its barley at the distillery, and completes all parts of the production process, from barley to bottling on the island.

Since the first bottling was released in 2008, Kilchoman has established itself as a high quality Islay Single Malt Whisky, winning the following awards:-

Kilchoman’s exceptional quality was recognised at the prestigious International Whisky Competition (IWC) when Anthony Wills was named Master Distiller of the Year 2013.

Machir Bay was named Whisky of the Year at IWC 2013. Loch Gorm was also awarded Gold, Machir Bay received Silver and 100% Islay 2nd Ed was given bronze.

Kilchoman 2007 Vintage received Whisky Advocate’s Award for Islay Single Malt of the Year 2013.

In 2012 Machir Bay was awarded two prestigious IWSC Gold medals and a Silver medal, and was named in GQ’s Best 100 Things of 2012.

Kilchoman won Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky of the Year 2011, only three years after the first bottling was released.