Kilchoman Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 7 hours ago
Kilchoman is the smallest distillery on Islay and the first built on the island in over a century. This guide covers its history, ownership, range and the questions people ask most.
In this guide
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Kilchoman at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Region | Islay, Scotland |
Ownership | Independent Wills family |
History | Distilling began in 2005 |
Whisky and production | Islay farm distillery with local barley and peated spirit |
Named expressions | Kilchoman Machir Bay, Kilchoman Sanaig, Kilchoman Loch Gorm |
Visits | Verify public access, current tours and opening times with the distillery before travelling. |
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Where is Kilchoman Distillery?
Kilchoman is in the north-west of Islay, close to Machir Bay. The name is pronounced kil-KHOH-mən or kil-HOH-mən.
Kilchoman history
Kilchoman was founded by Anthony Wills and remains an independent, family-run distillery. It began production in December 2005 and was the first distillery built on Islay since 1908. The first casks were filled on 14 December 2005, bottling of 3 year old single malt began in September 2009, and the first 100% Islay whisky was released in 2011.
The distillery uses barley grown on site at Rockside Farm and malted at the distillery, as well as malt from the Port Ellen maltings. It obtained Rockside Farm in 2015 and has been expanding since. It is one of six Scottish distilleries still working with traditional floor maltings, and is unique in completing every stage on Islay: growing barley, malting, distilling, maturing and bottling.
Since 2023 Kilchoman has sourced bourbon casks from Breckenridge Distillery in Colorado, replacing Buffalo Trace, which supplied barrels from 2005. In 2023 it came second in a Cask Connoisseur ranking of the most popular whisky distilleries, and in 2025 it celebrated its 20th anniversary with a four-part 20th Anniversary Cask Series.
Who owns Kilchoman?
Kilchoman is independent and family-run, founded by Anthony Wills.
Production
Stills: two wash stills and two spirit stills.
Capacity: 500,000 litres.
Water source: a small dam close to the distillery.
Peating: malt from Port Ellen is peated to about 50ppm, and malt from its own floor maltings to about 20ppm.
Kilchoman bottlings
Machir Bay, 46% ABV
Loch Gorm, 46% ABV, launched in 2013
Sanaig, 46% ABV, launched worldwide in 2016 after an initial release for the French market
100% Islay, 50% ABV, the grain to glass bottling
Kilchoman PX Sherry Cask Matured 2023, limited to 23,000 bottles
Kilchoman 16 Years, matured in bourbon and oloroso sherry, the distillery's oldest whisky to date
Master distiller and team
According to the Kilchoman website, Kilchoman is a family run business established by Anthony and Kathy Wills in 2005. Anthony Wills is Managing Director and Master Distiller, and describes the distillery as the only independent farm distillery on Islay.
Official website
Kilchoman timeline
November 2001: Kilchoman Distillery Company incorporated by Anthony Wills
2004: the Wills family move to Islay and building starts at Rockside Farm on the Rhinns
14 December 2005: first cask filled
2006: a fire in the malt kiln disrupts the maltings
September 2009: Inaugural Release, 8,450 bottles of bourbon matured whisky given a five month oloroso finish
2011: 100% Islay range begins, made entirely from Rockside barley
2012: Machir Bay launches and wins a best in class award at the International Wine and Spirit Competition
2015: the Wills family buy Rockside Farm after leasing it
May 2019: second still house completed, doubling the stills to four
February 2020: new visitor centre opens in the old stables
July 2026: Rockside 11 Years Old added, reported as the first age statement core bottling
These dates come from The Single Cask guide dated 16 August 2026. The Single Cask describes Kilchoman as the first distillery opened on Islay in 124 years. Other sources say more than a century, so the exact figure is not settled.
Two malt streams, one farm
The Single Cask says most malt is bought from Port Ellen Maltings at around 50 ppm and goes into Machir Bay, Sanaig, Loch Gorm and many limited editions. Barley grown on Rockside Farm is floor malted and kilned on site to around 20 ppm and goes into the 100% Islay range and Rockside 11. The share malted in house is quoted at between 15 and 25 per cent depending on the source. A new malt floor and kiln in 2018 doubled batches from two tonnes to four. The farm is reported at around 2,300 acres, with up to 440 under barley in a good year.
Stills and process
Each of the two still houses has a wash still of about 3,000 litres and a spirit still of about 1,600 litres, and a 1.2 tonne semi-lauter mash tun. The distillery quotes a fermentation of around 90 hours, while another source gives 84. Spirit is cut from about 76 down to 65.5 per cent and filled at 63.5 per cent. Water is said to come from the Allt Gleann Osamail burn beside the distillery, although our earlier draft source described a small dam close by. Capacity is quoted as about 480,000 litres of pure alcohol, 500,000 in our earlier source, and up to 600,000 more recently, so no single figure is confirmed.
Casks
Around four fifths of casks are first-fill bourbon barrels, from Buffalo Trace until 2023 and from Breckenridge Distillery in Colorado since. About a fifth are first-fill oloroso hogsheads and butts from Bodega Miguel Martin in Jerez, with smaller runs of other wood. Everything matures and is bottled on Islay. Warehouses are reported to hold around 15,000 casks.
Core releases and strengths
Machir Bay is bottled at 46 per cent and is described as about nine parts bourbon to one part oloroso. Sanaig and Loch Gorm are also 46 per cent in our earlier source. Batch Strength launched in 2024 at 57 per cent according to The Single Cask. The 100% Islay bottling strength is given as 50 per cent in our earlier source, so check the current label.
Independent bottlers and cask ownership
The Single Cask says Kilchoman does not sell casks to brokers or blenders, so independent bottlings are rare and are mostly private casks bought direct. The distillery sells private casks itself, with storage on Islay included and first refusal on resale, according to that guide. Cask ownership is unregulated and values can fall as well as rise. This is not financial advice.
Visiting
The visitor centre in the old stables has a shop, tastings, tours and a cafe. The Single Cask says it is open seven days a week from late March with shorter winter hours. Booking ahead is sensible in summer and during Feis Ile at the end of May. Check the official site for current hours and prices.
Sources
Further sources checked
Kilchoman Distillery guide, The Single Cask (16 August 2026): https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/blogs/distilleries/kilchoman
The Single Cask is an independent bottler and cask seller, so treat its commercial claims with care. Official site and Whiskypedia pages were not loaded for this expansion.
What makes Kilchoman distinctive?
Islay farm distillery with local barley and peated spirit
Kilchoman whisky bottle and expression comparison
Kilchoman's limited annual batches and single-cask releases change. Loch Gorm 2026 is an age-stated release.
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation and context |
|---|---|---|---|
Kilchoman Machir Bay | Not age-stated / edition varies | Check bottle | Signature peated Islay single malt |
Kilchoman Sanaig | Not age-stated / edition varies | Check bottle | Sherry-influenced core peated malt |
Kilchoman Batch Strength | Not age-stated / edition varies | Check bottle | Higher-proof house release |
Kilchoman Rockside 11 Year Old | 11 years | Check bottle | Age-stated 11-year-old malt |
Rare, limited and historic whisky releases
Documented special releases and older editions can sell out. They are included for education rather than as live stock claims.
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation and context |
|---|---|---|---|
Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2026 10 Year Old | 10 years | 46% | Full-term Oloroso sherry, 46% ABV |
Kilchoman Cognac Cask Matured 2026 | Not age-stated / edition varies | Check bottle | Full-term Cognac barrique maturation |
Kilchoman Maury Cask Matured 2026 | Not age-stated / edition varies | Check bottle | Full-term fortified Maury wine casks |
More distilleries to explore
Frequently asked questions about Kilchoman
Where is Kilchoman distillery?
In the north-west of Islay, close to Machir Bay.
Who founded Kilchoman?
Anthony Wills.
When did Kilchoman start production?
In December 2005.
Is Kilchoman a farm distillery?
Yes. It grows barley on Rockside Farm and does its own floor malting.
What is 100% Islay?
The grain to glass Kilchoman bottling, bottled at 50% ABV.
Sources and editorial checks
Original historical research and source notes are preserved in this guide. Producer details, distillery access and releases may change.
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About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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