Three years since our last Machir Bay Cask Strength release, the 2025 edition is here, and it delivers in every sense.

“One of my favourite whiskies we have released, it has everything I love about Kilchoman spirit, with a little extra punch. There will be a lot of happy Kilchoman fans seeing the Machir Bay Cask Strength back on shelves.” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

This, the first release since the Machir Bay Evolution, is a peat lover’s dram through and through. Heavily peated, and bottled at cask strength; it hits hard and leaves its mark. That’s the magic of Islay whiskies under ten years: vibrant, fearless, and full of character. From powerful smoke and bright citrus to warm spices and fresh vanilla, every sip commands attention. Think of regular Machir Bay but turned up to full throttle.

Machir Bay Cask Strength shows a deep golden colour, richer than the standard expression. The nose is bold and smoky, with sweet vanilla and caramel from the bourbon barrels, layered with citrus and tropical fruit, and hints of floral and mineral complexity. On the palate, it is full-bodied and warming, with creamy malt sweetness balancing maritime peat smoke, fresh and candied citrus, toffee, and subtle spice. The finish is long and lingering, with smoke gradually giving way to vanilla, toasted coconut, and a soft saline note. This dram is perfect for those seeking a powerful and prolonged Machir Bay experience.

For more information on Machir Bay Cask Strength, please email admin@kilchomandistillery.com

Unique Barley Season = Unique Spirit Ahead

Our 2025 growing season began in The Long Field on 17 February, with ploughing completed across all fields by 21 April. By the end of April, all 140 acres had been ploughed and sown, marking a strong start to the year.

In previous seasons, we’ve planted more than one variety of barley. But this year, we returned exclusively to Laureate, a variety that served us well in 2017 and 2018.

Weather Challenges Shape the Crop

As the crop began to establish, nature, as always, had its say.

· A dry spring helped with early growth

· A wet June followed

· Then another prolonged dry spell and a persistent easterly wind

Unfortunately, the July–August dryness caused the barley to ripen without the moisture needed to increase grain size. This accelerated maturity meant an early harvest, starting 18 August, around two weeks ahead of normal. The timing proved fortunate, as heavy late-August rains paused combining across the island for nearly a month.

The Final Tally

Despite lower yields, the harvest brought its own success story:

· 214 tonnes of Laureate barley harvested

· Enough to produce approximately 65,000 LOA (or 520 barrels)

· Average yield of 1.5 tonnes per acre, compared with 2 tonnes per acre in 2024

The reduced yield was largely due to smaller grain size, one of the more visible impacts of the season’s unpredictable weather.

Barley with a Story to Tell

2025 will be remembered as a challenging yet distinctive barley-growing year — one that promises to influence the character of the spirit it becomes. Malting and distilling of this harvest will begin in early 2026, and we expect the resulting flavour profile to be every bit as unique as the season itself.

We know many will be watching eagerly — and waiting impatiently — to enjoy the story this barley will tell in the glass.

From Friday, 31st of October, the Kilchoman Visitor Centre & Café will be open Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 – 16:00. Closed on Fridays & Saturdays.

The Café is open from 10:00 – 15:30 for teas, coffees, and home baking. Lunch is served from 12:00 to 14:30; booking is advisable for lunch.

Our winter tour is now available to book through the website and is £25pp. The tour allows an indpeth look into our traditional malting floor, kiln, stillhouse and one of our dunnage style warehouses and includes 3 drams to enjoy along the way.

If you have any enquiries please contact the visitor centre:

📞: 01496 850 011
📧: tours@kilchomandistillery.com

The 100% Islay Sherry Cask Matured 11 Years Old, was distilled from our 2011, 2012 and 2013 barley harvests, and matured for a minimum of 11 years in ex-oloroso sherry butts. This limited edition is available now (depending on where you’re reading this), launching in the UK and Europe from this week but taking a little longer to reach places further afield.

“I’ve had my eye on these casks for a while, waiting for the perfect time to bottle them,” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

Bottled at 50% abv. with no added colour or chill-filtration, this release combines 16 individually selected first-fill oloroso sherry butts originally used by José y Miguel Martín, Jerez, Spain.

This release differs significantly from the recent 100% Islay 15th Edition, which was matured exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels for nine years. Ex-sherry casks impart remarkable depth, with pronounced notes of dark fruits, spice, and smoked meat, in contrast to the lighter citrus-driven profile more typical of our previous 100% Islay expressions.

At Kilchoman, we produce two distinct styles of spirit. Our 100% Islay whiskies are crafted exclusively from barley grown and malted on the farm at the distillery, while Machir Bay, Sanaig, and the rest of our range are produced from commercially malted barley.

Growing barley on Islay is no easy task. Relentless weather and ever-present wildlife place constant pressure on the crop. Those grains that do endure are often smaller, with a higher ratio of husk to flour, contributing to a richer oiliness and a more textured palate in the resulting whisky.

Beyond the place of growth and malting, there is also a difference in peat levels. Our 100% Islay barley is peated to 20ppm, whereas Machir Bay, Sanaig, and other core expressions are peated to 50ppm. This lighter touch of smoke allows the subtle character of the barley to shine through, a nuance often overshadowed by the bold peat influence of more heavily peated whiskies.

The 100% Islay Sherry Cask Matured 11 Years Old (70cl, 50% abv) will be available in the UK and Europe from this week.  For those further from Islay, it’s on the way.

For more information, please email admin@kilchomandistillery.com

Award Season 2025 is well underway and our whiskies have been bringing home an impressive array of medals.

International Spirits Challenge 2025

The season began with the International Spirits Challenge 2025, where all four of our entries, Machir Bay, Sanaig, Batch Strength, and the 2025 edition of Loch Gorm, were each awarded Gold.

ADI 2025 International Spirits Competition

Next up, at the ADI 2025 International Spirits Competition, our core range once again received top honours:

• Batch Strength – Double Gold, Best of Class & Category

• Machir Bay – Double Gold

• Sanaig – Gold

The Spirits Business 2025 Awards

Most recently, at the Spirits Business 2025 Awards, Batch Strength achieved the highest accolade, the Master Award, while Machir Bay and Sanaig added yet another Gold to their collections.

Batch Strength

The newest addition to our core range, Batch Strength was released in 2024 and has already made its mark. Crafted to deliver a higher ABV than Machir Bay and Sanaig, it amplifies the depth and intensity of Kilchoman’s signature style. Matured in bourbon barrels and oloroso sherry casks, with 20% re-charred Portuguese red wine casks, it offers a bold, distinctive character of sweet dark fruits, rich spices, and salted caramel, bottled at 57% ABV for a colossal dram.

Machir Bay

Our signature whisky since 2012, Machir Bay takes its name from the beautiful beach just a short walk from the distillery. Made from 50ppm malted barley and matured in a mix of 90% bourbon barrels and 10% oloroso sherry casks, it balances bright citrus sweetness with classic Islay peat smoke.

Sanaig

Named after an inlet on Islay’s rugged Atlantic coast, Sanaig is a vatting of both sherry and bourbon casks.  With a 70% oloroso sherry and 30% bourbon barrel vatting, it delivers a deeper profile of dried fruits and spices while retaining Kilchoman’s signature citrus and peat smoke character.

Thank You

These awards wouldn’t be possible without our loyal Kilchoman fans, thank you for your continued support.

Want to find your nearest retailer?

Our award-winning whiskies are available in shops and bars worldwide.  Contact us at admin@kilchomandistillery.com and we’ll be happy to help you discover where to enjoy Kilchoman near you.

This year marks a major milestone for Kilchoman: 20 years since we fired up the stills on our farm distillery in the west of Islay, becoming the first new distillery to be built on the island in over 120 years. Two decades later, we remain proudly independent, family run, and committed to doing things the traditional way, from barley to bottle, right here on Islay.

To celebrate, we are bringing Kilchoman to whisky lovers across Europe with a series of special events.

Join us for our UK edition on Saturday 15th November 2025 at Edinburgh Academy Senior School for an afternoon of Kilchoman whisky tasting hosted by the team behind the distillery. Whether you have followed us since the early days or recently discovered us through your latest dram, this is a chance to be part of the celebration.

What’s in Store:

• A guided tasting through our core range
• A selection of limited editions and archive bottlings
• Pours of our new make spirit
• An opportunity to sample our 20th Anniversary Cask Series
• The Kilchoman team pouring, chatting, and sharing stories throughout the afternoon
• Automatic entry into a raffle draw for the chance to win bottles of Kilchoman whisky

Tickets are priced at £30 and include access to all whiskies on pour. The event runs from 2pm to 5pm and is open to everyone aged 18 and over.

Let’s Raise a Dram Together!

It is not every day you turn 20, and we want to celebrate it properly, with the people who made it possible. Secure your place now:

Buy ticket

This is just one of several Kilchoman Day events happening across Europe this autumn. Keep an eye out for announcements coming soon.

Planning a trip to Kilchoman this summer and would like to know what to expect? Whether you’re a seasoned Islay visitor or this is your first time, Kilchoman offers experiences catered for all interests, from stunning landscapes, a bite to eat or seeing the traditional methods we instil in producing our range of single malt. Here is everything you need to know.

Distillery Tours & Tastings

We offer a range of tours and tastings to suit everyone –

· Classic Tour: Led by one of our knowledgeable guides you will be taken on a one-hour tour throughout production, from our traditional malt floor to our dunnage warehouses. Includes two samples of our popular core whiskies.

· Limited Edition Tour & Tasting: For a more in-depth experience, this two-hour tour gets into the heart of the whisky making process, and includes a sit-down tutored tasting featuring four of our limited edition expressions.

· Roving Tasting: A sensory journey through the distillery highlighting the unique sights, sounds and smell that make Kilchoman one of a kind. Topped off with dram of one of our many whiskies as you explore thevarious areas of the distillery.

Whisky Bar, Shop & Café

The tasting bar is open from 10:00 AM to 4:45 PM, offering samples of Kilchoman’s full range, from our well-loved core-range releases, limited editions, distillery exclusives as well as some archive stock. One of our guides will be happy to answer any questions and talk you through our expressions. No booking is required, just come in and enjoy a dram!

Our shop offers all of our current releases, branded goods as well as some local crafted gifts to purchase to help make your trip to Kilchoman memorable.

The on-site café is open from 9:45 AM to 4:30 PM serving barista style coffee and fresh homemade baking. We also serve lunches from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM to give you the opportunity to try our infamous Cullen Skink!

All bookings for tours can be made through our website. If you would like further information or to book a table for lunch in our café – advisable to avoid disappointment, then please call the distillery on 01496 850 011 (option 1)

Whether you’re a whisky connoisseur or simply seeking a unique experience, Kilchoman offers a memorable day out. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore Islay’s only Farm Distillery.

Kilchoman Fèis Day 2025 is now less than two weeks away.  Save the date – Thursday 29th May. Click here for more details on what’s happening throughout the day both at the distillery on virtually online.

Our 2025 Fèis Ìle Release

One of Anthony’s annual highlights is selecting something special for our exclusive Fèis Ìle release. This year, he has chosen two refill Madeira hogsheads, distilled in 2015 and bottled at natural cask strength.

This single farm, single malt whisky was produced using barley grown and malted at Kilchoman, and lightly peated to 20ppm.

“As usual, our Fèis Ìle release is only available to those who make the journey over to Islay, sold exclusively through the distillery shop. While searching for something a bit unusual to bottle, I came across several Madeira hogsheads that were filled with our 100% Islay spirit back in 2015.

We very rarely mature our 100% Islay spirit for its full maturation in anything other than ex-bourbon or sherry casks, so I was thrilled to find these unusual casks coming along so well. The lighter peating level allows for the bold Madeira notes to come through into the whisky,”  Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

Fèis Ìle Online

If you can’t make it to Islay, don’t worry – we’ll be bringing a bit of the Fèis atmosphere to you virtually through our online content.  We will also be sharing various footage from the distillery throughout the day.

Win a Fèis 2025 Bottle!

We’re giving our social media followers a chance to win a Fèis 2025 bottle!  To enter, simply ‘LIKE’ our Facebook page or ‘FOLLOW’ us on Instagram. If you’re already following us, you’re automatically entered into the draw.  On Friday 30th May, we’ll randomly select one lucky winner from Facebook and one from Instagram to each receive a bottle of this exclusive release.  Good luck!

The final stage in the whisky-making process is bottling! At Kilchoman we are one of the few distilleries in Scotland that bottle all of our own whisky. Everything from Machir Bay, single casks, miniatures and gift packs are completed on site by our bottling team.

Many people are unaware that few distilleries bottle their own whisky on the site where it is made. It is easier, particularly for larger companies, to send all their whisky to a central location in Scotland to be bottled and distributed from there. Kilchoman is different, we were established with our barley to bottle philosophy in mind, using water from the Glen Osamail to reduce our whisky to their bottling strength. On-site bottling is integral to our ethos.

We currently ship our whisky to over 60 different countries all around the world, each with their own strict packaging rules and regulations. Just for our Machir Bay expression, there are around 15 different label variations for the bottling team to keep track of. Depending on the final destination of the whisky, they ensure that the countries specific guidelines are adhered to. Forgetting any little detail could result in entire orders having to be sent back to Islay and re-labelled, an expensive mistake!

As the bottling team are the last people who see the whisky before it reaches the shelves, they have to quality check every bottle – Does it have the iconic Kilchoman coin attached? Is it filled to the right level? Is the label straight and in the correct position? How does the whisky look in the bottle?

Life is made slightly easier with a few machines to help fill bottles and attach the labels, something we had to do by hand for many years! However, it isn’t all easy going, every Kilchoman coin is still stuck on by hand, the bottles packed into cartons by hand, and many single casks and small batches are still hand numbered.

Christmas has been kind to the bottling team and in 2025 we are hoping to install the new labelling machine that has arrived with a few extras!

With our current set-up and a full team on the line, we can bottle over 3,000 bottles of whisky in a day, which equates to 8 pallets. Currently the team consists of six members with Derek leading the way as bottling manager. Derek is also responsible for hand cutting all the peat we use in our kiln, so he’s a busy man! There are then a further five members of the team who have specific roles along the line, all required at full tilt when a big order comes in…

Once the bottles have been approved, they are packed into outer cases, loaded onto pallets, and wrapped up tight. We wish them good luck on the long journey around the world, hopefully arriving safely on the shelf of your local retailer.

It may not be the most talked about or glamorous role at a distillery but it certainly is a vital one!

Shake the Farm is back!

We are once again challenging bartenders across the UK to create a cocktail which showcases one of our core range whiskies alongside one farmed British ingredient.

The Theme

As Islay’s only farm distillery, Kilchoman embodies the spirit of the land, crafting whisky that celebrates local provenance and craftmanship. Inspired by our roots, we are proud to present this year’s ‘Shake the Farm’ cocktail competition, inviting bartenders across the UK to champion the connection between whisky and agriculture. The challenge is to create a cocktail that showcases one of our core range whiskies alongside a single standout ingredient farmed right here in Britain. Together, let’s shake things up while honouring the essence of farm-grown quality!

A set of easy rules:

• Cocktails must contain a minimum of 25ml of Kilchoman Machir Bay, Sanaig or Batch Strength.
• The recipe must contain one UK farmed ingredient.
• Creations must be easy to replicate and made using tools and ingredients commonly found in bars.
• Drinks must not contain more than 6 ingredients (excluding garnish).
• The use of homemade ingredients is greatly encouraged but not necessary.
• Entries must be submitted before 23^rd March 2025 at midnight.

The Challenge

Application:

• Recipes must be submitted via our entry form.
• A picture of your cocktail must be shared on Instagram tagging @kilchomandistillery, @kilcho.man and your bar with the hashtags #shakethefarm #kilchomanwhisky #barleytobottle.
• The cocktail must be available within the candidate’s bar offering.

Selection:

Three finalists will be shortlisted based on their online submission and Instagram post. The following criteria will be used for the selection process:

• Drink’s name, story and visual appeal.
• Choice of farmed ingredient.
• Instagram post originality.

Finals:

The finalists will then be invited to an all-expenses paid hands-on apprenticeship at our distillery on Islay (April 21^st – 24^th). During these four days, they will stay on the farm, learn about distillery production and have a hand in making our single malt, finishing up by competing to become our 2025 Shake the Farm champion.

The winner will get a chance to select an exclusive single cask reserved to UK on-trade and take six bottles of it home with them. To top it up, the winning cocktail will be featured as our official Fèis Ìle 2025 libation.