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Kilchoman
unveils inaugural Family Collection
featuring oldest-ever general release.
Kilchoman
recently revealed the first edition of
its Family Collection, a new series
showcasing some of the distillery's most
exceptional maturing casks, personally
selected by the five members of the
founding Wills family.
Chosen during the family's annual review
of Kilchoman's warehouses, the
collection brings together four
individually selected whiskies that
highlight the remarkable evolution of
the distillery's spirit over the past
two decades. Ranging from 11 to 20 years
old, the releases explore the
contrasting influence of ex-bourbon and
ex-Oloroso sherry cask maturation while
demonstrating the different styles
produced using Kilchoman's estate-grown
barley and heavily peated malt from Port
Ellen Maltings.
Leading the collection is a landmark 20
Year Old, the oldest general release in
Kilchoman's history and the first
globally available whisky to carry this
age statement from the Islay farm
distillery. Alongside it are distinctive
11, 14 and 18 Year Old expressions, each
offering its own interpretation of
Kilchoman's signature character.
One of the defining features of the
collection is the contrast between
Kilchoman's two production styles. The
14 Year Old is the only 100% Islay
expression, distilled in 2011 from
barley grown at Rockside Farm, malted
on-site and peated to 20ppm. In
comparison, the 11, 18 and 20 Year Old
releases were produced using heavily
peated 50ppm barley from Port Ellen
Maltings, delivering the more powerful
smoky profile for which the distillery
has become renowned.
Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder
commented: "The Kilchoman Family
Collection, both this year and in the
years to come, showcases some of our
most treasured casks. We are especially
proud to release our first globally
available 20 Year Old as part of this
edition.
"Discovering and tasting these
exceptional casks in our warehouses
remains one of the great joys of what we
do. As a family, we have dedicated the
past two decades to crafting the finest
spirit and selecting the very best
casks, so seeing that commitment and
care come to fruition is very
rewarding."
Kilchoman 11 Year Old Family Collection
(1st Edition)
The youngest whisky in the series is
also its richest in style. Matured
exclusively in ex-Oloroso sherry butts,
the 11 Year Old is the only
sherry-matured expression in the
collection, combining Kilchoman's
signature peat smoke with layers of
dried fruit, dark chocolate, warming
spice and oak. Its fuller-bodied
character provides a striking contrast
to the bourbon-cask influence found
across the other three releases.
Kilchoman 14 Year Old Family Collection
(1st Edition)
Representing Kilchoman's farm-to-bottle
philosophy, the 14 Year Old is the only
100% Islay whisky in the collection.
Distilled from estate-grown Rockside
barley that was grown, malted, distilled
and matured entirely at the distillery,
it showcases a brighter, softer and more
cereal-driven style. Peated to 20ppm at
Kilchoman's own maltings, it highlights
the elegance and individuality of the
distillery's homegrown spirit.
Kilchoman 18 Year Old Family Collection
(1st Edition)
The 18 Year Old demonstrates how
extended maturation can refine
Kilchoman's classic Islay character.
Produced from heavily peated 50ppm malt
and matured exclusively in ex-bourbon
barrels, it balances gentle vanilla
sweetness and creamy oak with refined
peat smoke and increasing complexity.
Bottled at 50% ABV with natural colour
and no chill filtration, it offers one
of the most mature expressions of
Kilchoman's traditional style released
to date.
Kilchoman 20 Year Old Family Collection
(1st Edition)
Completing the collection is the
historic 20 Year Old, a whisky that
marks a significant milestone for the
distillery. As Kilchoman's oldest
general release, it demonstrates the
depth and maturity the spirit has
achieved since the farm distillery was
founded in 2005. Distilled from heavily
peated barley supplied by Port Ellen
Maltings and matured for two decades in
ex-bourbon casks, the whisky retains the
distillery's signature balance of
coastal peat smoke and elegance while
developing exceptional richness and
complexity. Bottled at 50.9% ABV with
natural colour and no chill filtration,
it serves as the flagship release of the
inaugural Family Collection and a
fitting celebration of Kilchoman's first
twenty years.
All four of the Kilchoman Family
Collection 1st Edition whiskies will be available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
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