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Review of the new Kilchoman Cognac Cask Matured –
Not A Finish. A flavoursome dram that
successfully marries rich Cognac cask
influence with the distillery's fresh,
smoky Islay style.
Kilchoman Distillery has taken its
exploration of full-term cask maturation
in a new direction with the launch of
Kilchoman Cognac Cask Matured, a
limited-edition Islay single malt Scotch
whisky matured entirely in ex-Cognac
barriques rather than using them simply
for a finishing period.
The 2026 release comprises 33 first-fill
Cognac barriques, filled with spirit
distilled in 2019 and bottled at 50%
ABV. By allowing the whisky to spend its
entire maturation in Cognac casks,
Kilchoman aims to draw greater influence
from the French oak and the rich
character of the former Cognac within
the casks, while retaining the
distillery's distinctive peated Islay
character.
Kilchoman describes the resulting whisky
as a combination of toasted nuts,
warming spices and ripe stone fruit,
complemented by its characteristic peat
smoke and bright citrus notes. The
Cognac casks are also said to bring
vibrant flavours of pear and apple,
crystallised ginger and baking spices,
creating a contrasting profile to the
distillery's previous Maury Cask Matured
release.
The Cognac Cask Matured follows
Kilchoman's 'Not A Finish' series, which
explores the impact of maturing whisky
for its full term in experimental cask
types. Rather than introducing a
secondary cask only towards the end of
maturation, the approach allows the cask
and spirit to develop together over
several years.
Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder
commented: "Full-term maturation in
first-fill experimental casks is risky;
we need to monitor the maturation very
closely. The aim is to maximise flavour,
both from the cask and from the spirit.
The Cognac casks bring an abundance of
flavour but left too long and they would
overwhelm the Kilchoman spirit. The
casks work to their own schedule, and we
need to be ready to bottle when the
balance is right."
With its combination of Islay peat
smoke, Cognac cask influence, fruit,
spice and citrus, Kilchoman Cognac Cask
Matured offers an intriguing variation
on the distillery's character. I put a
bottle to the test to see how
successfully the full-term Cognac
maturation works in practice and you can
read my review below.
You will find the Kilchoman Cognac Cask
Matured available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
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