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Malting

April 11, 2018

Kilchoman is one of only a few distilleries still practicing traditional floor malting, a process that many of Scotland’s distilleries have outsourced with the arrival of commercial distilling.  The process involves soaking the barley in water before it is laid on a concrete floor and regularly turned by hand.  This triggers the barley to germinate, allowing for the conversion of starch to fermentable sugars and alcohol.  The labour intensive nature of floor malting is a significant factor in its demise, though it remains at the heart of our 100% Islay philosophy.

 

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Cognac Cask Matured 2026

While many distilleries use Cognac casks to finish their whisky, Kilchoman goes further.  This release has spent the full-term of its maturation in ex-Cognac barriques, allowing the French oak to fully express itself.  The 2026 edition is a combination of 33 first-fill barriques, distilled in 2019, bottled at 50% abv. …

September 8, 2026
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