Introducing Rockside 11 Years Old, the first age statement release in our Core Range.  Distilled from barley grown on the farm over a decade ago, Rockside 11 is lightly peated and matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, offering a delicate balance of light smoke, tropical fruit, citrus sweetness, and mixed spices.

In contrast to our heavily peated (50ppm) Machir Bay and Sanaig expressions, Rockside showcases a more barley-forward, lightly peated (20ppm) style which allows for the more subtle characteristics of the Kilchoman spirit to shine.

Kilchoman sits amongst the traditional buildings of Rockside Farm on the north-west coast of Islay. Our Rockside release is Islay’s only Single Farm Single Malt; grown, malted, peated, distilled, matured, and bottled here on Rockside Farm.

“Over twenty years in the making, Rockside 11 is the culmination of a journey that began with our first crop of Rockside barley in 2004. Across fifteen 100% Islay releases, we watched the spirit develop, waiting for the right moment to introduce Rockside as a core range expression.

Bright, fragrant and threaded with sweet peat, Rockside’s character begins with the barley.  Grown here on the farm, it endures harsh conditions, yet those challenges produce a barley, and ultimately a whisky, unlike any other.” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

“Our work in the stillhouse and warehouse play an equally important role in shaping the spirit, but those processes can be replicated, Rockside Farm and Rockside barley cannot. They are uniquely ours, and at the heart of what makes Rockside 11 distinctive.” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

Rockside 11 Years Old (70cl, 46% vol.) will be available in the UK and across Europe from this week. For those further away, it’s on the way, so please contact your local stockist to make sure they have a bottle for you.. Click here to purchase the Rockside 11 from our online shop, or for more information on where to find this release, please email info@kilchomandistillery.com.

With spring now behind us and summer beginning to settle in, it has been another busy few months here on Rockside farm. As always, there never seems to be quite enough rain when you want it and too much when you don’t, but we’ve been making the most of the conditions and keeping everything moving forward.

Field work got underway in late April with ploughing completed across the farm before we moved straight into sowing in early May. This year we have planted 150 acres of Laureate spring barley. It’s a variety we know well and have grown many times before with consistently good results. Laureate continues to work well for us as a reliable, high-yielding crop and, just as importantly, Anthony continues to enjoy the flavour profile it brings through in production.

Alongside our barley, we have continued with our crop rotation programme and this year we’ve sown 20 acres of herbal ley rich in white and alsike clover. Not only does it provide good grazing, but it also plays an important role in naturally improving soil fertility by fixing nitrogen back into the ground. Looking after the soil is just as important as looking after the crop itself and this will help prepare these fields to return to barley production again in the years ahead.

On the livestock side, spring has once again been one of the busiest times of year.  Lambing has now wrapped up as well and it’s always satisfying to see the fields full again with ewes and lambs happily grazing and making the most of the grass.  Calving is now coming towards an end and we’re pleased to say we have welcomed 25 healthy calves so far, with just two cows still to calve in the coming days.

Speaking of grass, it has been growing well despite the mixed conditions. Some fields will need topped over the coming weeks as sheep tend to leave the longer grass untouched and we want to stop it heading to seed and keep quality grazing in front of them throughout the season.

Attention is already turning towards winter feed as we prepare to start cutting silage next week. Together with the draff, this will form an important part of the diet for our sheep and cattle through the winter months. Before long, sheep clipping will also be underway, another sure sign that summer farming is in full swing.

Weather-wise, it’s been a familiar story. After a dry but cold spring, summer arrived with more rain than we’d hoped for and now, like most farmers, we’re looking for a bit of warm sunshine to give everything a push. That said, farming has always been about working with what you get rather than what you wish for.

There’s always another job waiting around the corner, but that’s the nature of it. We’ll keep going, keep adapting, and hopefully enjoy the rewards of the hard work later in the season.

Kilchoman Fèis Day 2026 – Thursday 28th May.  With just over two weeks to go until our day, we’re delighted to share what our exclusive Fèis bottling will be this year.

Fèis Ìle 2026 Release

A highlight for Anthony every year is selecting something unique to bottle as our Fèis Ìle release.  This year he has selected three 15 Year Old casks which combine ex-bourbon and ex-calvados cask maturation.

“Our Fèis Ìle release, as always, is reserved for those who make the journey to Islay and is available exclusively from the distillery shop. This year marks our oldest Fèis release to date, with the spirit matured for over 15 years across two different cask types.

While many will recognise the character of older Kilchoman expressions aged in ex-bourbon barrels, the additional five years spent in Calvados casks has left a fantastic impression. This finishing period has enhanced the natural fruitiness of our spirit, bringing vibrant orchard notes to the fore and complementing our coastal, smoky character,” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

As always, our Fèis Ìle release is only available to purchase from the distillery shop and will be launched on our day, Thursday 28th May, at 10am.  Limited to 637 bottles and priced at £130.

Click here for more details on what’s happening throughout the day both at the distillery and virtually online.

Named after the famously dark, peaty loch overlooked by the distillery, the Loch Gorm 2026 Edition was matured in oloroso sherry butts for a minimum of 10 years.  The sherry-soaked casks from Bodega José y Miguel Martín add layers of rich spices, dark chocolate and dried fruit character, which balance beautifully with Kilchoman’s peat smoke and citrus flavours.

“For me, sherry matured Kilchoman at 10 years old is close to its peak.  The oloroso influence is impactful but not overwhelming, with a balance of sherry-soaked peat, roasted ham, nutmeg, orange peel, and sweet spices.

The specific proportions of Spanish and French oak along with the unique seasoning process in Jerez, provide us with a cask that perfectly suits Kilchoman’s spirit character and Islay maturation.” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

“20 of the 23 casks selected were fresh (first fill) casks, these casks have an abundance of flavour, creating the tannic intensity of Loch Gorm’s peat smoke.  The lighter influence of the 3 refill (second fill) casks act as a counterbalance to the intensity of the fresh casks, offsetting the European oak tannins with notes of dark chocolate, and orange peel.  
We very much hope you enjoy this year’s edition.” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

The Loch Gorm 2026 (70cl, 46% vol.) will be available in the UK and across Europe from this week. For those further away, it’s on the way, so please contact your local stockist to make sure they have a bottle for you.. Click here to purchase the Loch Gorm 2026 from our online shop, or for more information on where to find this release, please email admin@kilchomandistillery.com.

The end of an action-packed tour! Hitting the road ten weeks ago to bring Kilchoman to whisky enthusiasts across the continent. Ticking off cities from Rome to Riga, and everywhere in between – hosting lively tastings and bespoke festivals, the tour was an opportunity to share our story beyond Islay, and to reconnect with the people who make what we do so worthwhile.

Kicking off at the end of January, in France, before moving down into Switzerland and battling the Swiss alps to make our way to Italy – the land rover hit it’s first obstacle – snow! Conquered it like champion, and just as well as we learnt this would become a continuous challenge during our time on the road….

Always incredible to see the volume of people turning up to share a dram with us along the way, from the small towns to the big cities. With venues managing to pack crowds of people into rooms smaller than our old stillhouse! Whether it was a masterclass with a long-time retailer, a collaborative event with a local bar, or an informal meet-and-greet, every event brought its own local flare.

The Land Rover had now been on dry land for what an islander would consider a lifetime! We had a ferry to catch and it was a new country to join the tour, Greece! Tour T-shirts came in handy as the weather was heating up. The team were very grateful for a refreshing Gingerman tour cocktail after a long, tough day of chatting Kilchoman and drinking whisky. Not sure they would have got any sympathy… but just as well there was enough to share with everyone.

Travel days blurred into events as we made our way through the Balkans before reaching Poland and ticking off more new countries. In disbelief that we were already halfway through, and of course the Tour edition was going down a treat – with it being a first for us, as a full-term mezcal maturation!

We headed further north through the Baltics, meeting the coldest weather we would encounter at -17 degrees, and feeling grateful that whisky doesn’t freeze! As always, it was a pleasure to see both familiar faces and new fans discovering Kilchoman for the first time.

Reminded at every venue what makes a tour like this special isn’t just the whisky, it’s the people: the shared stories and conversations had with long-time fans, as well as people just starting on their whisky journey. Showing us that, while Kilchoman is rooted on Islay, its community stretches much further.

As we made our way country hoping by ferry: an islanders dream, through Scandinavia. We encountered a small hiccup with the mysterious disappearance of the fuel cap, but nothing a sherry cask bung can’t fix as a temporary measure….

Starting to make the trip down south again, through Denmark, an eight-day leg in Germany! To the final countries of The Netherlands and Belgium, before catching the Eurotunnel closer to home. With these countries being long-time residents of the tour itinerary, it was no surprise to us that venues were packed full of excitement, and we were even getting recognised on the road!

Last stop on the tour was the UK, and a great round off to an incredible trip. Holding our breathe that the Land Rover had one final push to make it back to Islay. We couldn’t let it go too smoothly as the missing fuel cap saga continued and we lost another – perfect finishes are overrated?

Now, we’re back home, tyres a little worn, suitcases a little lighter, and more grateful than ever for the support we’ve seen on the road. The Land Rover covered over 20’000 kilometers, visiting 26 countries in ten weeks. Having hosted everything from masterclasses with over 150 people, casual pop-up sessions and everything in between, as ever we are incredibly grateful to all those who travelled far and wide to come along, share a dram, or simply stopped by to say hello—thank you. We’ll see you again soon!

Until then, Slàinte mhath.

Kilchoman Batch Strength stands out in the core range as a powerful, high-ABV expression, offering the distillery’s signature style with extra weight, intensity, and character.

Matured in a combination of re-charred red wine casks, oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels, a few drops of water were added post maturation to produce a Batch Strength of 57% vol. The result is a colossal dram combining the natural peat smoke and citrus character of Kilchoman with dark fruits, rich spices and salted caramel sweetness.

Anyone who has tasted a cask strength Kilchoman, be it a Single Cask or Machir Bay Cask Strength, will know how the Kilchoman spirit shines at a high volume.

“At 57% vol., Batch Strength is a giant of a dram, it has a raw intensity, that I love. But importantly, that power is balanced by a delicacy and finesse that speaks for the quality of our production processes in the stillhouse and also the quality of casks used for maturation,” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

Batch Strength possesses all the character that typifies a classic Kilchoman; fresh, vibrant peat smoke, citrus sweetness and a balance of fruit and spices. However, with the influence of re-charred red wine casks, there is an abundance of red fruits and caramel, and at 57% vol. rather than the standard 46%, it has a weight and power that makes you stand up and take notice.

The Maury Cask Matured limited edition is not a finish, the whisky was aged for the full term of its maturation in ex-Maury fortified wine casks. Maury is a sweet, fortified wine from the Roussillon region of southern France, made primarily from Grenache noir grapes. The time the whisky has spent maturing in these wine casks, has added layers of dates, raisins and dark honey sweetness which balance beautifully with the natural peat smoke and citrus sweetness of Kilchoman.

“The Maury Cask Matured is a first ever release for us and something rarely seen on the market at all. These powerful fortified wine casks can be challenging to manage, but when you get them right, they can produce something really special.

We are known for our full maturation policy for many of our limited editions and this is another example of that, bringing through all those beautiful Maury flavours in a bold and balanced dram, not to mention the incredible crimson red hue to the whisky,” Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder.

The Maury Cask Matured will be available across the UK and Europe from this week. Click here to purchase the Maury Cask Matured from our online shop, or for more information on where to find this release, please email admin@kilchomandistillery.com.

2001

After a 20-year career in the drinks industry, initially in wine and latterly as an independent bottler of whisky, Anthony Wills has the idea of building a new Islay distillery. Kilchoman Distillery Company Ltd is incorporated as a private limited company on November 12th, 2001.

2003

The idea of building a new Islay distillery is met with some scepticism. Questions are asked as to whether the island really needs eight distilleries, but Anthony presses ahead regardless.

2004

Anthony and his wife Kathy move to Islay with their three teenage sons to build Islay’s first new distillery in over 124 years.

The Island isn’t new to the family. Kathy‘s grandparents, the Wilks’, have lived on Islay since 1937.

Building work starts in late 2004, the goal is to establish a farm distillery capable of producing 600 to 800 barrels a year from barley grown and malted on site.

2005

After numerous problems with malting, boilers, pipework and other equipment, the project is late and overbudget.  But, on December 14th, 2005, Anthony fills the first cask of Kilchoman.  Selected casks are sold to private individuals during the first few years of production to offset some of the mounting costs.

The light at the end of the tunnel; Jim Swan, Anthony’s distillation consultant, is adamant that the Kilchoman new make spirit is superb, so much so, that he is certain if it is matured in the right casks, it will be ready to release in three years’ time.

2006

A kiln fire causes extensive damage and halts the malting of Kilchoman-grown barley for several months.

The story of how the kiln caught fire is still a mystery but maybe there’s a limit to the responsibilities you should give your teenage sons.

Despite the fire, 2006 is the first full year of distilling.  A total of 353 casks are filled.

2009

After battling through from 2005 to 2008 with huge financial pressure, 2009 is a milestone year.  The very first bottle of Kilchoman single malt, drawn directly from Cask No.1, was auctioned, raising £5,400 for local Islay charities.

Later that year, the Inaugural Release was launched, a vatting of three-year-old Kilchoman matured in bourbon barrels and finished in oloroso sherry casks. The whisky receives rave reviews and sets a high bar for future Kilchoman releases.

2010

The bespoke Kilchoman bottle is created.

The company announces that, due to increasing demand for Kilchoman whisky, they have decided to increase production.

Robin Bignal is recruited as a part-time stillman.

2011

The Inaugural 100% Islay is released.  The first Single Farm Single Malt Islay whisky in over 100 years.  Grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled right here at Kilchoman.

Anthony is adamant that to live up to its ‘Barley to Bottle’ tag line, bottles must be filled on site. The only problem was he didn’t have any bottling equipment.  However, he did have three sons, who were duly instructed to fill the 11,300 bottles… using teapots borrowed from the distillery’s café. Since then, every drop of Kilchoman has been bottled on site.

2012

After Anthony and John MacLellan, Distillery Manager, had released a number of seasonal limited editions, they felt that a permanent ‘Core Expression’ of Kilchoman was needed for the brand to reach a wider audience.

Machir Bay is launched as our flagship expression, encapsulating the balance of maritime peat smoke, citrus sweetness and mixed spices that defines Kilchoman single malt.

2013

The Conisby warehouses are built, capable of housing up to 6,000 casks.

The first edition of Loch Gorm is released.

2014

1,000 casks are filled for the first time in a calendar year.

The Wills boys go on the first of many tours around Europe, sharing our Kilchoman story across the continent.

2015

Having leased the farm buildings since 2005, the company purchases

the farm, and we are in charge of our own destiny; able to expand production and increase the amount of barley grown on the farm without restriction.

The first bottle of Kilchoman 10 Year Old is auctioned, raising £10,000 for the Beatson Cancer Charity, donated in memory of John MacLellan.

2016

Sanaig is created and launched worldwide. Matured predominantly in sherry casks, Sanaig showcases a richer, more rounded side to Kilchoman.

After initially launching in France, its popularity resulted in orders coming in from around the world. The popularity of Sanaig hasn’t slowed down since…

2018

Construction of the new malt floor and kiln is completed, enabling us to grow and malt more of our Kilchoman-grown barley.

2019

The stillhouse is extended.  Two new stills are added, along with a new mashtun and seven washbacks, taking our maximum capacity to around 4,500 casks per year.

The new stills are exact replicas of the original ‘2005 stills’, to ensure there is no difference in character between the new and the old stills.

2020

Our new visitor centre and café open, welcoming guests from around the world.

15 casks are auctioned to celebrate our 15th Anniversary.

2023

A limited edition Kilchoman 16 Year Old is launched. Anthony comments (with a tear in his eye).

“It’s been a hell of a long journey for those involved.  For me and Kathy in particular. To launch our 16 Year Old, it’s a very proud moment. We’ve got there.  I never thought we would if I’m honest.”

2024

Batch Strength is launched, our third core range expression, alongside Machir Bay and Sanaig. Batch Strength displays a more rugged and powerful side to Kilchoman.

Despite the 57% abv bottling strength, it’s delicacy and subtlety speak to the quality and steadfastness of the production processes put in place by Anthony and Jim Swan back in 2005.

2025

To mark our 20^th Anniversary, we unveiled a special 20^th Anniversary Cask Series in early 2025.  The series comprised of four releases, each a vatting of five specially selected casks: two 14 years olds, a 15 year old and an 18 year old.

In addition to the Cask Series, we celebrated the filling of our first cask on 14^th December, launching a prize draw, offering whisky lovers the once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the very first bottle of 20 Year Old Kilchoman, drawn directly from Cask No.1.