Kilchoman Distillery on Islay: a successful, small Scottish whisky distillery founded in 2005.

December 05, 2019

This evening, I am focusing on Kilchoman Distillery on Islay, one of the youngest whisky producers in Scotland, having been founded in 2005.

Islay, lies off the west coast of Scotland forming the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides chain of islands.

Whisky distilling is the key industry on Islay. There are currently eight established distilleries on Islay, with four more planned and ranking is 'probable'.

The 'Islay brand' is distinguished from other Scotch whisky by its peaty (smokey) flavour.

Kilchoman is. by the standards of Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, tiny producing 480,000 litres of spirit per year compared with >10.50m litres p.a. at the two big distilleries mentioned.

Kilchoman is a fully integrated distillery based at Rockside Farm in the North-West of the island of Islay, near Loch Gorm. The basic ingredient of barley is grown on site then malted on a traditional maltings floor, one of only a handful of such floor maltings in Scotland. Moreover, the still furnaces are heated using a peat fuelled furnace.

The distillery was launched in 2005 subsequent to which steady progress has been made in establishing a market presence for the key single malts of Loch Gorm, Seneig, Founders Cask and Machir Bay. Consistent with most distilleries on Islay, Kilchoman’s malts are peated (smokey).

Visitors are encouraged at Kilchoman where facilities include a restaurant and shop.

Remote and spectacular scenery adds to the visitor experience.

Barley ready for whisky making.