Kilchoman Distillery Gets Into Wine Cask Finishing With New Whisky

The Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Finish, according to those behind it, was initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels from 2012 forward before being finished in ex-Sauternes wine casks for a period of five months before bottling. It is said that this “finishing period allows the caramel and vanilla influence of bourbon barrels to be accentuated by the buttery sweetness of the desert wine casks. Meanwhile the classic peat smoke and citrus character of the Kilchoman spirit brings a distinct depth and punch to the whisky, emphasised at the increased strength of 50%.”

“The full-term wine cask maturations that we’ve released in the past have been hugely successful,” said Anthony Wills, Kilchoman founder, in a prepared statement, “but we wanted to show a more measured approach this time around. The five month Sauternes finish has allowed a more subtle sweetness and buttery character to be imparted into the spirit while maintaining the fresh fruit, citrus and vanilla notes so typical in Kilchoman releases.”

Plans call for approximately 10,000 bottles drawn from 30 casks to be released for this expression, with a price point of at least £78, or a little over $100 USD. The whisky is lightly peated at 50 ppm.