Kilchoman whisky has long since established itself among connoisseurs. And that’s not the only reason this distillery on Islay is worth a visit.
A visit to Kilchoman Distillery is the perfect antidote to the big distilleries on Islay! Instead of a large group led by a tourist-trained guide, you walk around the farm with Becky and a handful of other visitors, get to hold the germinating grain in your hands, taste the wort and – if you’re lucky – even watch the bottling and corking process.
Naturally, there are a few sips of whisky to try at the end. And if you fancy something to eat as well, you can do so comfortably in the distillery’s own coffee shop. The cake comes highly recommended.
Personal note: small but mighty!
Rarely have I had so much fun on a distillery tour. Everything feels much smaller and easier to grasp. Wonderful!
History: the first new distillery on Islay in over 100 years
Kilchoman Distillery was founded in 2005 by Anthony and Kathy Wills – the first completely new distillery on Islay since the early 20th century. The idea behind it: a farm distillery in the classic sense, with as much as possible happening under one roof. Kilchoman has since become a family business: alongside the founders, their three sons James, George and Peter are also active in the distillery’s sales and marketing.
Did you know: an independent distillery
Kilchoman Distillery is a converted farm on Rockside Farm near Bruichladdich. When it started up in 2005, it produced a comparatively small amount of whisky – around 100,000 litres a year; by comparison, Laphroaig currently produces around 2.4 million litres. Production has since grown considerably, but the “grain to bottle” principle has remained.
Since the first cask wasn’t filled until 2005, you can currently only buy bottles of comparatively young whisky – though it has already picked up numerous awards, including at the World Whiskies Awards. A newcomer worth watching, then. To keep it that way, the owners have come up with a few tricks of their own. There’s a 100% Islay whisky, for instance – every single step of the whisky-making process was carried out right there on the island.
The grain grows just around the corner, the peat is cut on the island, and the bottling and corking of this whisky all happens on site. Other distilleries, by contrast, bring in grain from the east of Scotland and have long since had their whisky matured and bottled in warehouses near Glasgow.
Kilchoman Distillery Tour: the options available
Anyone wanting to visit the distillery now has a choice of several tours. The Classic Tour is the standard walk through production, including a tasting, and lasts a good hour. Those who want to go deeper can book the Roving Tour, which offers a more in-depth look behind the scenes, or the Warehouse Tasting, where you taste straight from the cask. All tours should be booked in advance via the distillery’s official website, as group sizes are limited – turning up on the day often means there’s no space left.
Fun fact: working at Kilchoman yourself
Fancy making whisky yourself? At Kilchoman, you can! For around £500, you can spend five days malting, brewing, distilling and bottling under the guidance of the distillery’s master distillers, and you’ll be allocated your own cask at the end. An offer you’ll struggle to find anywhere else on Islay in quite this form.
Getting to Kilchoman Distillery:
Take the main road from Port Ellen, or from the ferry at Port Askaig, heading towards Bunnahabhain. You’ll come to a sign pointing to the distillery – turn off there and simply follow the road. Note: don’t drive all the way to Kilchoman Church – turn left in good time before that.
There’s a dedicated car park right at the distillery. Even without a booked tour, you can still drop by: the shop and café, with homemade cake, are open independently of the tours and make a good stop on the way to the west coast beaches, such as Machir Bay.
