DISTILLERY GUIDE · ISLAY, SCOTLAND
Kilchoman Distillery
A farm distillery on Islay’s Atlantic side.
Established by Anthony and Kathy Wills in 2005, Kilchoman sits at Rockside Farm on the west coast of Islay. It brings farming, floor malting, distillation, maturation and bottling together on one site, while making a range of peated single malt Scotch whiskies.
What “farm distillery” means here
Kilchoman’s production guide describes the journey from barley growing and floor malting to bottling on site. The family’s timeline places the start of distilling in 2005.
The farm-grown-barley identity is especially relevant to the Rockside range. It is not a blanket statement that every Kilchoman bottling uses only farm-grown barley. Individual releases also differ in their cask recipes and bottling strengths.
Latest release: Sanaig Cask Strength 2026
The 2026 Sanaig Cask Strength is bottled at 57.5% ABV, compared with 46% for standard Sanaig. Kilchoman describes a predominantly sherry-cask recipe, including oloroso finishes and full sherry-cask maturation.
This is a producer-sourced guide. We have not scored this release; an announcement is not a tasting review.
Explore Kilchoman and Islay
- Kilchoman’s official website — current releases and visitor information.
- Scotland whisky guide — the wider regional context.
- Distillery directory — explore more houses.
Sources: Kilchoman’s official production guide, timeline and Sanaig Cask Strength 2026 announcement; checked 26 October 2026. Photography courtesy of Kilchoman Distillery.