Kilchoman

Kilchoman, Islay’s farm distillery, lies on the west coast of Islay, set in 2300 acres of which the most fertile 400 acres around the distillery is reserved for growing the barley for their malt. Established by Anthony and Kathy Wills in 2005, Kilchoman was the first new distillery on Islay in 124 years. A true family concern Anthony is master distiller and managing director, assisted by Islay Heads their general manager, while Kathy works in accounts and their sons James, George and Peter drive sales and marketing.

The smallest Islay distillery and one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland, its whiskies are produced wholly on site, from the barley they exclusively grow, traditionally hand malting on their own malting floor and then peating, production, maturation and bottling – the entire process – a 100% Islay philosophy from start to finish using nothing but Islay ingredients. Unusually it is just one of a handful of distilleries in Scotland to have its own floor maltings providing a third of their needs, the balance comes from the Port Ellen maltings on the Island, though the two are kept quite separate at all stages of production. Long fermentations and distillations in some of the smallest stills in Scotland give a house style of citrus and peat with maturation mostly in bourbon barrels and sherry butts.