Take a drive around Islay and virtually every signpost points the way to an iconic distillery… or village, depending on how you want to read it.  Islay’s eight distilleries mean it holds a special status on the map of scotch producers however wind the clock back 200 years and almost every settlement on the Island was home to at least one distillery with over twenty registered distilleries and numerous other semi-legal distillers.

Despite the passing of the Excise Act in 1644 none of his majesty’s excisemen were stationed on Islay until 1797, allowing small scale distilling to continue for many years after our mainland cousins, who were being fined or imprisoned for similar practises.  The Gaugers (excisemen) reluctance apparently due to the “wild and barbarous people”.

When the excisemen did eventually arrive on Islay the transition from unrestricted distilling to payment of registration and duty under the Excise Act was not easy for the people of Islay.  In 1801 a total of 233 people were accused of distilling privately, forcing many of Islay’s ‘hobbyist distillers’ to go down official channels, registering as distillers to avoid heavy fines and possible imprisonment.

Between 1814 and 1836 fourteen Islay distillers transitioned from the caves and glens to ply their trade as fully paid up distilleries.  Whilst a handful of these small-scale distillers survived, some merged to become what we now know as Lagavulin and Laphroaig distilleries, many didn’t.  Below is a brief history of Islay’s many Lost Distilleries.

Malt Mill Distillery, Established 1908

When Sir Peter Mackie lost his bitter legal dispute to retain the sales agency for Laphroaig whisky in 1907 he reacted in characteristic style by deciding to make his own “Laphroaig” type whisky, and in 1908 built a traditional small pot-still distillery within the Lagavulin complex. Despite hiring staff from Laphroaig and attempting to copy the Laphroaig recipe, it did not succeed, perhaps because it used a different water source. Malt Mill tried to replicate a traditional style of Islay Whisky, using only peat-dried malt, and it is reputed to have had heather added to the mash. It was always a small scale operation producing 25,000 gallons of proof spirit (113,500 litres) in its first year, compared with 128,000 gallons (581,120 litres) at Lagavulin. What is perhaps surprising is that it survived until 1962 when it was merged with Lagavulin and its coal-fired stills moved to the latter’s still house for another seven years use. The Malt Mill distillery building is now the reception centre within the Lagavulin Distillery site.

Mulindry Distillery, Established 1826

This is perhaps one of the shortest lived and unlikely distilleries on Islay. Built by John Sinclair in 1826 it operated at a site beside the junction of the Neriby Burn and the River Laggan, next to McNeill Weir (the start of the Bowmore Distillery lane) and its machinery was water-powered from the nearby river. Its output in 1826-7 was 4,332 gallons (19,667 litres) of malt whisky. Sinclair, according to the Local Excise Officer in 1831, liked his own product a little too much which may account for his bankruptcy that year and emigration to America. The distillery appears never to have reopened and today all that is left is a pile of overgrown stones and derelict croft.

Newton Distillery, Established 1819

The Small Stills Act of 1816 encouraged quite a few individuals to take out distilling licences and in 1819 Thomas Pattison opened a farm distillery at Newton, located on the Bridgend to Ballygrant road. Newton produced 6,122 gallons (27,793 litres) of spirit in 1826-7. It operated continuously until 1837, by which time most farm-scale distilling operations had closed down on Islay. Little is known about the operation of the distillery although there is still and outbuilding at Newton House that could have been part of the distillery and the metal bars on the window are perhaps signs of previous use as a bond.

Octomore Distillery, Established 1816

This farm-scale distillery on an ancient site behind Port Charlotte was run from 1816 until 1840 by the Montgomery family and licenced to George Montgomery. It appears to have operated as a single-still distillery with a wash still of 60 gallons volume (272 litres) with 998 gallons (4,530 litres) of spirit produced in 1817-18, this rose to 3,551 gallons (16,121 litres) in 1826-7. Little is known about its operation until the death of George and his brother around 1840, when it fell into disrepair and the lease was eventually relinquished to the laird, James Morrison in 1854 for £150. Buildings in the farm steading remain today, although some have fallen down and others have recently been converted into holiday cottages, so guests could well be sleeping with the spirits of 160 years ago! No detailed plans of the distillery buildings have yet come to life.

Port Ellen Distillery, Established 1825

Established in 1825 by the McKay family. It was operated by John Morrison & Co from 1831-34. John Ramsay and later his wife ran the distillery from 1836 until 1920, during which time they expanded the distillery. It was eventually acquired by DCL who mothballed it from 1929-67. Production buildings were then re-built by DCL and the distillery operated from 1967-83 when it was closed again during the whisky rationalisation of the 1980’s. As DCL already had two other distilleries (Caol Ila and Lagavulin) Port Ellen was tragically thought to be surplus to requirements. The original distillery buildings remain, linked to the Port Ellen Maltings complex. We are told that Port Ellen may be reopened once more and given a new lease of life…

Scarrabus Distillery, Established 1817

One of the most obscure and short-lived farm distilleries on Islay. A licence was taken out in the name of John Darroch & Co for the year 1817-18. It seems likely that this was an opportunist attempt at distilling following the 1816 Small Stills Act as records reveal a 76-gallon (345 litres) single still operation in 1817-18. Scarrabus Farm exists (off the Ballygrant road), although whether this was the exact location of the distillery and what happened to it after its two short years remains to be discovered.

Tallant Distillery, Established 1821

This distillery was established in 1821 by the brothers Donald and John Johnston at Tallant Farm, near Bowmore. Excise records until 1827 show this distillery recorded as one of two ‘Bowmore’ distilleries. It appears to have been a true farm-scale operation with Angus Johnston listed at one point as distillery manager. It was never, however, a profitable commercial operation, perhaps in part due to generous drams John provided to visiting workmen and farmers. Output was as low as 220 gallons (998 litres) a week and reached 2,101 gallons (9,538 litres) in the year 1826-27. The business folded in 1852, although John’s brother Donald and his son, Alexander, were to become successful distillers figuring prominently with Laphroaig’s development. Tallant Farm exists today and many buildings from those distilling days remain, albeit some in a state of collapse.

Ardenistiel Distillery, Established 1836

After the successful establishment of Laphroaig distillery in 1816, a farm tack was leased by Walter Frederick Campbell to James and Andrew Gardiner, financiers for the Ardenistiel Distillery, who then put it in the capable hands of James and Andrew Stein of the noted Clackmannan distilling family. They ran it until 1847, operating on site immediately adjacent to the Laphroaig Distillery. Ardenistiel was then assigned to John Morrison, a previously unsuccessful manager of Port Ellen Distillery. He was unable to make a go of it and only remained until he was sequestrated in 1852. The distiller then passed to John Cassels, of whom little is known and whose tenure at Ardenistiel appears to have lasted for less than a year. It then came into the hands of William Hunter who struggled to make the distillery pay, operating at half capacity producing 33,000 gallons (149,820 litres) a year. By February 1866, William Hunter was made bankrupt and by 1868 the distillery was reported dilapidated. It was eventually thrown in with Laphroaig Distillery and its derelict buildings eventually became the site of Laphroaig’s warehouses and offices today.

Ardmore Distillery / Lagavulin 2, Established 1817

Little is known of the Ardmore Distillery which shared the sheltered bay at Lagavulin with the Lagavulin Distillery. It was established in 1817 by Archibald Campbell, although when the name Ardmore was adopted is uncertain. It opened as a 92-gallon, single wash distillery, but within a year was operating under double distillation with the addition of a 30-gallon low wines still. By 1825 it was being operated by John Johnston of Lagavulin who ran both distilleries simultaneously often using the names Lagavulin 1 and Lagavulin 2. Johnston died in 1836 and in 1837 a valuation carried out shows the two distilleries as having operated during John Johnston’s tenancy. The Still House (No 2), Tun Room and Malt Barn No 4 were all listed as belongings to the Laird Walter Frederick Campbell, as Ardmore Distillery. Alexander Graham, a Glasgow distiller-merchant and owner of Islay Cellar that supplied Islay Malts in Glasgow and to whom Johnston was indebted, acquired the distillery for the sum of a little more than £1100. Lagavulin and Ardmore were immediately merged and together form the site of much of the present-day Lagavulin site.

Bridgend Distillery & Killarow Distillery, Established unknown

Details of these two (or three) distilleries located at the former island capital, Bridgend, are very limited. David Simson is on record as operating a licenced distillery at Killarow until 1766 when he moved to Bowmore to establish the distillery that survives today. Its exact location is unknown. A Bridgend Distillery was custom-built by Donald McEachern Senior in 1818 with a wash still of 146 gallons producing single distillation whisky. It was then run by his son Donald Junior between 1818-21, when the company was wound up and ceased operations. Information exists that suggests a distillery was licenced to a J MacFarlane at Bridgend around 1821 with an annual output of 3,937 gallons (perhaps a new owner for the McEachern’s distillery?).

Daill Distillery, Established 1814

Daill distillery probably operated as a farm distillery after the Small Stills Act encouraged distillers to go legitimate. The distilling operation was, throughout its short life, in the hands of the McEachern family with the licence being held successively by Neil McEachern from 1815-25, Malcolm McEachern from 1825-26 and Donald McEachern between 1826-34. By 1827 it had annual output of 6,043 gallons of proof spirit. Its demise, like that of many inland distilleries on Islay, was probably sealed by the difficulties of transporting the product to the mainland markets. Buildings in remarkably good condition at Daill farm exist, and these could well have been the location of the McEachern family distilling operation.

Lochindaal distillery aka Port Charlotte and Rhinns, Established 1829

Lochindaal was a purpose-built distillery in the Rhinns of Islay which survived in the 20th century. Located in the heart of Port Charlotte village it was constructed for its first licencee, Colin Campbell, in 1829. He only held onto it for two years and subsequently it had many owners: McLennan & Grant from 1831-2; George McLennan 1833-5; Walter Graham 1837; Henderson Lamont & Co until 1852; Rhinns Distillery Co 1852; William Guild & Co to 1855 before a period of stability under the ownership of John B Sherrif until 1895 and then J B Sherrif & Co Ltd up to 1921. It was eventually taken over by Benmore Distilleries Ltd in 1921 prior to that company’s acquisition by DCL. That signalled the end of Lochindaal and it closed in 1929. Some of it was used by the Islay Creamery until the early 1990’s and the shore-side warehouses remain in use by a local garage and the Islay Youth Hostel and Field Centre, whilst a roadside building is now used for vehicle repairs and the distillery cottage is inhabited. The bonded warehouses on the hill behind the distillery site have been in continuous use by other distillers and are currently used by the Bruichladdich Distillery. This is one lost distillery on Islay that has a good photographic history, which clearly records the distillery site during its century of operation.

Lossit Distillery, Established 1826

Lossit Distillery was located at Lossit Kennels, not far from Ballygrant on the minor road to Lossit Farm, close to Loch Ballygrant. It was a medium-sized farm-scale operation and in 1826-7 it produced 12,200 gallons (54,480 litres) of proof spirit. It was operated by Malcolm McNeill from 1826 to 1834, by George Stewart until 1852 and a John Stuart thereafter for a further 10 years. This makes it one of the longest surviving 19th century farm-scale distilleries on Islay. There is a possibility that Bulloch, Lade & Co used the Lossit warehouses (perhaps to store Caol Ila whisky) until 1867. Today the house and kennels remain, although where whisky distilling actually took place remains a mystery and there is nothing left of the warehouses.

Other Islay locations thought to have operated as licenced distilleries include: Ballygrant (1818-21), Freeport (c 1847), Glenavullen (1827-32), Octovullin (1816-19), Upper Cragabus (c 1841) and Torrylin (no dates available)

Researched & written by whisky history enthusiast Graham Fraser.

Following visits to Islay from the late 1990s onwards, Graham discovered the existence of early licenced farm distilleries with no written history. Through site visits and public record research he was able to shed light on the individuals & their distilling stories from Islay’s past.

Thank you to Graham for sharing his findings with us.

As with any new venture it’s sometimes difficult to know just where to start. Do you go for the cheapest bottle you can find and work your way up or dive straight into a single cask limited release? Fortunately, Kilchoman single malt is the perfect choice for getting into scotch whisky, especially if you’re looking for something unique and complex, with heritage ingredients and traditional practices. It’s initially easy going and accessible, but it reveals new layers of character with every sip.

That said, there’s a few ways to help you make the most of the true Kilchoman experience…

Step one: Prepare

Kilchoman is a reflection of the island that produces it: slow going, thoughtful and best visited more than once. With this in mind, it’s worth taking a little bit of time to truly enjoy the moment – the more comfortable you are, the better. After all, you want the whisky to take center stage. Part of this is getting your favourite tumbler or Glencairn glass and delicately pouring just a dram into its shiny embrace. Take a moment to appreciate the colour. It may seem like a small thing, but the golden sheen of a Machir Bay speaks for its overall character: crisp, light and refined.

Kilchoman is best served neat, unspoiled by mixers. However, this is an individual choice and there are certainly some fine Kilchoman cocktails to be found, just ask those sampling the Machir Bay Old Fashioned on the European Tour. Alternatively, you can add a small drop of water – a process that releases some of the aromatics and flavour hidden inside. It’s also wise to cleanse your palate first. After all, it’s difficult to appreciate the subtlety of a good dram with the remains of an Islay Venison Burger stuck between your teeth!

Step two: Nose

First thing is first, before you take a sip, you must nose your dram of Kilchoman – A few swirls will help to unlock the aromas in your Kilchoman: notes of citrus zests, vanilla biscuit and ever changing layers of peat smoke will make themselves apparent initially. However, don’t worry if you smell something different, the human nose can detect over 30,000 different scents and you may well pick up on other qualities first. Some have reported hints of nuttiness, honey and the oddly specific ‘salted white chocolate’; just remember though, there is no right or wrong. Each experience is subjective and each sampling will reveal further depth for you. If you catch a subtle hint of Chilean shrubbery or a passing whiff of burnt rubber, that’s just your experience!

Try and make a mental note of each aroma that lifts from the glass. When it comes to tasting, it’ll help you pick out individual flavours from the sip. Start with your nose about an inch from the rim of the glass and gently inhale, noticing the lighter delicate aromas that rise up first. If your nose begins to burn, take a step back and inhale less strongly. If you pass out, unfortunately you’ve clearly forgotten to breathe back out.

Step three: the taste

With the memory of the aromas still fresh in your mind, give the glass another swirl and slowly take a small sip, just enough to coat your tongue. Let it swirl around your mouth, using the whole tongue to sample the flavour. Different areas have different sensitivities to certain tastes, so the tip may reveal different secrets to the back or sides.

This taste is what’s known as the palate, which is the main course to the whisky experience –  the nose being the appetizer and the finish being the dessert that leaves you perfectly satisfied. The palate of Machir Bay has been described by one guest to the distillery as “a generous burst of tropical fruit and raisin, followed by playful layers of wafting smoke”. Again, there’s no right or wrong here, and if your taste buds tell you that the smoke flavours are ‘drifting’ instead of ‘wafting’, and the layers ‘thoughtful’ instead of ‘playful’, who are we to judge? The joy of whisky lies in your experience, and as far as we’re concerned, every opinion is equally valid on the shores of Islay.

As mentioned, the final flourish is the finish. It’s the taste that follows you long after the whisky has become acquainted with your esophagus. One of the things that makes Kilchoman the perfect introduction to scotch whisky is the fact that its finish is a remarkably clean one. This means none of the alcoholic burn associated with some whiskies is present. Look out for hints of peat smoke and plenty of mixed fruits that characterise the Kilchoman range… it should feel like nothing short of a warm hug!

Step four: look photogenic

Like an Olympic gymnast nailing a perfect routine, it’s vital that you perfect your landing. Slowly lower your glass onto a coaster of your choice, exhale then look up and wink at anyone else in the room. They’ll know you’ve just sampled a Kilchoman. They’ll know you’re on the right track.

If in doubt you can always ask our founder, Anthony Wills, he’s an old hand at drinking whisky these days…

It is often said that life is about the journey, not the destination. At Kilchoman, however, we must respectfully disagree with this saying. You see, when the destination is Kilchoman Distillery, Isle of Islay, the journey doesn’t matter so much: the important thing is the way you feel when you step foot onto the island knowing a dram is in the distance…

There’s just one minor question… how do you get there? First thing is first, to be able to visit Kilchoman you must find your way to Islay…

The sky…

For those who enjoy the feeling of flight, freedom (and some extra legroom), there’s no better option than to hop on a plane and enjoy the stunning view of Islay from above. At present time, flights run twice daily from Glasgow airport, meaning that you only have to wait 45 minutes before being able to step onto Islay and sample the rejuvenating sea breeze that rolls across its rugged landscape. Flights will also be available from Edinburgh to Islay from the spring in 2019. During the flight you can not only see Islay, but you will pass over Arran and (if you’re lucky) you will see the majestic paps of Jura. Understandably, these flights tend to get booked up pretty quickly, so it’s worth booking well in advance if you’re planning to drop in from the skies. Oh, and don’t forget to leave some room in your luggage for a bottle of whisky or two…

The salty sea…

In our humble opinion, there’s no more fitting experience than watching Islay’s rocky peaks fade into view while stood on the deck of a traditional ferry – the drama of this approach only adds to the mystic and historic appeal of an Islay distillery holiday. If you fancy yourself as more of a seafarer than a plane goer, then jump aboard the regular ferry service departing daily from Kennacraig. For those without a car, the easiest way of reaching it is via a three-hour coach service from Glasgow. Arching up through the Trossachs national park, stopping off at Inveraray for a hot chocolate or an ice cream cone taking this scenic route isn’t the worst way to spend a morning…

Vehicle reservations are possible on the aforementioned ferry, however there is limited space. So again, it’s worth booking well in advance. No matter where you are in the UK, the journey should be fairly straightforward. If you’re determined to stick to the mainland you’ll find that most routes pass through Glasgow, easily reachable within eight hours from London (via the M6), six hours from Cardiff and just over three hours from Manchester.

Alternatively, for those who love exploring, it’s possible to go on an island-hopping adventure, warming up by taking in the stunning landscapes of Arran and Kintyre on the way. The first step is to ferry transfer from Ardrossen to Brodick, enjoying its 19th century castle before driving north to the suspiciously Italian sounding port of Lochranzia. Another ferry will drop you at Claonaig on the western shores of the Kintyre peninsula, where you can finally drive eastwards to Kennacraig. Although Google will tell you that this route is shorter, don’t be fooled – you’ll have time to kill waiting for ferries. Don’t panic though, each port town is steeped in centuries of unique history and tradition, giving you plenty to do.

…Via less epic rails

Unfortunately (or maybe luckily) trains haven’t reached the unspoiled shores of Islay quite yet. While we wait for the inevitable eurostar Islay expansion, your best bet is to get a high speed link to Glasgow or head to Oban then grab a coach to Kennacraig.

A good walk (or a trek) …

It turns out that walking from London to Islay takes 1 million steps (give or take). In other words, it only takes six days of your time and some reasonable footwear! It wouldn’t be the most time-saving journey, but you would definitely deserve a dram of Kilchoman when you arrived!

We kid, of course, the point is that no matter which way you get to Islay, the journey will always be worth it. Whether you’ve skydived in or emerged from the icy waters wearing nothing but speedos, hitched a lift with an Ileach or simply taken the bus, the sweet taste of Kilchoman’s award winning single-malt is guaranteed to restore warmth to your weary travelers’ bones.

Once on Islay…

Now you have arrived on Islay, how do you find Kilchoman Distillery? It is a little off the beaten track but undeniably will be worth the wait, the trick of the trade is to have transport arranged, whether that be a hire car or a taxi (the Islay bus service does not stretch far enough to Kilchoman’s rural residence). Once in the car follow the single-track road (via google maps) and you will soon reach your destination. Around 40 minutes from each ferry terminal (and airport) you will be sipping on a dram of Machir Bay in no time! If you do manage to get lost along the way, the locals will be on hand to point the way!

With loch Gorm on your right hand side and Sanaigmore in the distance you know you’re on the right track to Kilchoman, a bit of a bumpy ride along the farm road, passing our golden barley fields, flocks of sheep and herd of cows you can park the car, breath in that fresh Islay air and enjoy your time with us at Kilchoman, we are so happy to have you here… Slainte!

On a Friday evening after a busy week at work, is there anything better than settling down in front of the fire with a large dram of your favourite Kilchoman in hand. As you sit and swirl your dram in the glass have you ever thought what’s happening at the distillery right now, what are they doing there that makes this dram of Kilchoman special and distinct, the reasons are really very simple…………….

Barley

All single malts are created from malted barley.  Here at Kilchoman we have two separate barley sources; over 200 tons is grown on the farm at the distillery and distilled exclusively for 100% Islay range, the balance is shipped to Islay from the mainland forming the base ingredient for our core range; Machir Bay, Sanaig as well as most of our limited editions.

Growing conditions here at Kilchoman are drastically different to that of mainland Scotland.  Whilst our soil is excellent quality, the stormy weather and salty atmosphere create a uniquely challenging environment affecting both the characteristics of the barley and the character of our 100% Islay whisky.

It is easy to see why many of Islay’s distillers have turned to mainland grown barely in place of local growers.  The low rainfall and settled conditions of the east coast make growing high yielding barley significantly easier.  The grains are noticeably larger than those grown on Islay, allowing distilleries to produce 5-10% more whisky per ton compared to Islay barley, like that grown at the distillery.

This year we’ve sown two varieties of barley here at Kilchoman, Concerto and Octavia.  The barley made a good start, enjoying long periods of sunny weather broken up nicely by the odd days rain however just as we thought we might have a record harvest the weather turned and a period of wet and windy weather made harvesting a long and challenging process for Andrew and is team.  That said the barley is now all safely harvested and we’ll begin to malt the 2018 crop in January.

From left to right – Concerto and Octavia

Water

We draw our water from the Allt Gleann Osamail burn.  Fed by a series of springs the water runs off the hills and collects in peat bogs of the Osamail glen just north of the distillery.  The peat moss acting as a giant sponge, soaking up the water in winter and drip feeding the burn during drier summer months to ensure we are rarely short of water.  The water picks up the distinct dark colour of the peat, resembling black tea.  It is soft and pure with particularly low alkaline levels, perfect for distillation.

Peat

Islay Peat is special, and Kilchoman, though the newest distillery on Islay, we are arguably the most traditional in our scale and approach.  Growing our own barley is part of this philosophy, however equally important is using Islay peat to smoke our barley. Islay is more exposed to the elements than mainland Scotland. The climate, ocean, wind and rain all have an effect on the island, therefore the peat and the whisky made from Islay peated barley is unlike any other; more salty, maritime and medicinal than mainland peated whiskies.

Each week when our green malt has germinated, it is taken to the kiln where it is peated over a 10-hour period. The green malt will lie above the peat fire in the kiln on a perforated floor and peat smoke will gently peculate through the grating imparting that special Islay flavour. Once spread, the door is shut, the fire is lit and we let clouds of smoke build up through the kiln and impart it’s characteristics into our barley.  We will use around 80 – 100kg of peat per week and we mix the dried peat, with damp peat that we keep in barrels of water, this avoids our kiln becoming a fire and allows the maltmen to ensure that we are getting as much smoke as possible into the barley. When we light the kiln, we are looking for lots of peat smoke, not flames (as we found out the hard way in 2006!).

Yeast

Yeast is the fourth and final ingredient and it constitutes an essential part of the fermentation process. What exactly does yeast do? Once the mash has been ground down and the barley starch converted into fermentable sugar, the resulting liquid is something called ‘wort’. The wort is then pumped into a washback, and yeast is added. For every mash we create 6,000 liters of wort and we add 20kg of yeast to convert the sugars into alcohol. Every mash at Kilchoman is fermented for an average of almost 90 hours and the resulting alcoholic product is called ‘wash’, at around 8%abv.

There are different kinds of yeast that can be used in the production of single malt scotch: distillers’ yeast, brewer’s yeast, wild yeast, or a combination of each are suitable for scotch. We use Mauri Distillers Yeast during the fermentation process. While it may be more subtle than other elements of production, yeast certainly influences the overall flavour of a scotch whisky as different yeasts breed in different ways, thus influencing its chemical makeup and accentuating certain flavours. Generally speaking, distilleries will use yeasts that can cope with both high temperatures and high amounts of sugar, as well as those which do not clump together during fermentation.

…and the following values

Not only do we have our four main literal ingredients that are needed to make a Kilchoman dram, there are values that we follow, live and work by that have a huge part to play in our final product – Traditional methods in a traditional location, Hard Work, Dedication and Patience

Kilchoman Distillery was the first distillery to open on Islay in over 124 years and is a family run traditional farming distillery.  Anthony Wills, our founder, made the decision to open a new distillery on this well-known whisky isle, this was driven by his passion to go back to the grass roots of whisky making.  Producing whisky that had been made completing all parts of the process from barley to bottling on site.

Anthony, with his three sons, (from left to right) Peter, George, Anthony and James.

It has not always been plain sailing, to produce a Kilchoman single malt takes patience, hard work and more often than not a bit of blood, sweat and tears, however 13 years later Kilchoman still continues to be a traditional family run farming distillery, the farm is thriving, our expansion is underway allowing us to produce more of our unique single malt and the family continue to run the distillery, Kilchoman is going from strength to strength. We hope the values and tradition that Kilchoman stands for offers something different to the whisky world.